Weston Kiwanis luncheon a glamorous affair

By Beth Feinstein-Bartl
Special to The Miami Herald
http://www.miamiherald.com/484/story/584985.html

Taking the stage, Valery Oliveros became the center of attention in the crowded ballroom as she was presented with a new motorized wheelchair.

It was appropriate that Oliveros, 5, was given star treatment. The ceremony was the heartfelt centerpiece of a Hollywood-themed luncheon sponsored by the Kiwanis Club of Weston.

The event, now in its fourth year, was at the Hyatt Regency Bonaventure Hotel, where James Dean and John Wayne stood watch over well-dressed diners. Life-size cutouts of the two film icons, along with replicas of Oscar statuettes and a red carpet runway, added a touch of glamour to the decorations.
The June 22 luncheon drew a sellout crowd of about 100 people who noshed and chatted for charity.

Each year, the program supports a different nonprofit group. This time around, proceeds went to the Darrell Gwynn Foundation. The Weston-based national organization is devoted to funding research and improving the quality of life for people with spinal cord injuries, including providing motorized wheelchairs to needy children.

The luncheon was the first-time partnership between the foundation and the Kiwanis Club of Weston, said Gwynn, a former National Hot Rod Association driver who became a quadriplegic after a career-ending crash in 1990. The foundation gives 20 to 25 motorized chairs to children and young adults annually, he said.

Presenting the pink chair to the little girl, who was born premature and has cerebral palsy, was an emotion-filled moment, said Gwynn, a Weston resident.

''She's starting her life,'' he said. ``She's the perfect recipient.''

Without the foundation, her parents, Milena and Oswaldo Oliveros of Hialeah Gardens, would not have been able to purchase the $15,000 chair on their own. Insurance would only pay for a standard chair, said Angel Pardo, president of DMR of Miami Lakes.

His company, a custom wheelchair provider, works with the foundation. DMR learned about Valery through healthcare professionals in the community.

''She's a very intelligent, beautiful girl,'' Pardo said.

The Gwynn foundation ceremony was a high point of the afternoon, said Maxine Spencer, immediate past president of the Kiwanis Club of Weston and the luncheon's founder.

Spencer, a real estate consultant, co-chaired the luncheon with Tara Lynch, another club member. The program featured a fashion show with clothing provided by Dillard's at The Broward Mall in Plantation, raffles and a silent auction. Club members and their children paraded the runway, including Spencer's daughter, Bianca Baskins, 12.

It takes three to four months to plan the luncheons. A locally based nonprofit group is always selected as the main beneficiary. Proceeds also go to Kiwanis International charities, which assist children here and around the world, Spencer said.

The gatherings have grown in popularity, both with the public and with businesses, such as the event's title sponsor, Mercedes-Benz of Pembroke Pines, Spencer said.

''People look forward to it,'' she said. ``It's not just a luncheon. It's a production.''

Club president Edward Wallach said he was enjoying the movie star backdrop. ''It's a marvelous event,'' he said. ``We're helping children of the world and in our community.''

For information on the Kiwanis Club of Weston, call 954-389-5586 or visit www.kiwanisfldiv24.org.