MIAMI – Lutheran Services Florida honored twenty-five volunteers from Lutheran churches in Miami-Dade and Monroe counties at the twelfth annual Good Samaritan Awards Dinner on June 6.

The dinner and a reception and silent auction were held at Christ the King Lutheran Church in Miami with 270 people attending.

The Good Samaritan Award is presented by Lutheran Services Florida to exceptional volunteers who express their love of God through unselfishly and faithfully helping people in need.

The 2010 honorees included:

• Don Bickel, St. Mark’s Lutheran Church, Coral Gables


• James Davis, Bay Shore Lutheran Church, Miami


• Ivelisse Gomez, Hospital del Alma Lutheran Church, Leisure City


• John and Gigi Graff, St. Paul Lutheran Church, Miami


• Clifford Hartman, Lord of Life Lutheran Church, Miami


• Bob and Diane Haworth, Grace Lutheran Church, Miami Springs


• Beulah Lallathin, Martin Luther Chapel, Marathon


• Laurel Marc-Charles, St. John Lutheran Church, Miami Shores


• Nancy Perez, San Pablo Apostol Lutheran Church, Miami


• Blas and Raquel Quiles, St. Matthew’s Lutheran Church, Miami


• Holly Rivet, Lord of the Seas Lutheran Church, Marathon


• Wesley and Annemarie Roberts, St. Thomas Lutheran Church, Miami


• Dale and Carole Sandin, South Miami Lutheran Church, Miami


• Deborah Scott, Christ Lutheran Church, Biscayne Park


• Thelma and Karen Shafer, Concordia Lutheran Church, Miami


• Lois Stine, St. Andrew Lutheran Church, Homestead


• Lily Beck and Chris Summers, Christ the King Lutheran Church, Miami


• Robert Taylor, Messiah Lutheran Church, Miami

LSF President and CEO Samuel M. Sipes presented the awards. Eric Tillich, Vice President of Agency Advancement for LSF, served as Master of Ceremonies. Laurel Marc-Charles read greetings from Bishop Edward R. Benoway of the Florida-Bahamas Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. Pastor William A. Sielk brought greetings from President Gregory S. Walton of the Florida-Georgia District of the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod.

The dinner was sponsored by LSF along with Thrivent Financial for Lutherans, Emily Gomez, Rev. Jean-Pierre and Laurel Marc-Charles, Tamara Thomas, Bell Carbonic, Republic National Distributing Corp., and St. Paul Lutheran Church in Miami. Special thanks go to Christ the King Lutheran Church for hosting the event.

Silent auction sponsors included Bostick Contracting Services Inc., Olga Bostick, Chesley Creek Farms, Deli Lane, Donna Hennessy, Gatsby Red Carpet Party, Hilton-Fort Lauderdale Marina, Hot Air Balloon Rides, Innisbrook Resort and Golf Club, Carolyn Johnson, Publix Supermarkets, Republic National Distributing Corp. – Mark Dignum, The Giving Tree – Joan Reitsma, The Rusty Pelican, Tamara Thomas, Irma Ogden, and LSF. Proceeds from the silent auction will benefit LSF’s Second Chance Housing Program, which helps youth ages 18-23 in the Miami-Dade area who are transitioning from foster care to independent living to learn the skills they need to be successful on their own.

Planning for the event was done by the Miami-Dade Advisory Council and LSF Church and Community Relations.