MIAMI – Lutheran Services Florida honored 20 volunteers from 17 Lutheran churches in Miami-Dade and Monroe counties at the thirteenth annual Good Samaritan Awards Dinner on June 5.

The dinner and a reception and silent auction were held at Christ the King Lutheran Church in Miami with more than 300 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 2011 honorees are:

– Bonita “Bonnie” Caputo, Grace Lutheran Church, Miami Springs (ELCA)

– Diana Orme, St. Thomas Lutheran Church, Palmetto Bay (ELCA)

– Erna Beckles, Bay Shore Lutheran Church, Miami (LCMS)

– Fred and Ana Dye, St. Paul Lutheran Church, Miami (LCMS)

– Guadalupe Latino, Hospital del Alma Lutheran Church, Leisure City (LCMS)

– Hector Ramirez, Faith Lutheran Church, Hialeah (LCMS)

– Immacula Jean, St. John Lutheran Church, Miami Shores (ELCA)

– Jodi Nerney, St. Andrew’s Lutheran Church, Homestead (ELCA)

– Karen Riege, Concordia Lutheran Church, Miami (LCMS)

– Kathy Hibbs, Christ the King Lutheran Church, Miami (ELCA)

– Maurice Blauch, Lord of Life Lutheran Church, Miami (ELCA)

– Dr. Ofelia Castellanos, St. Matthew’s Lutheran Church, Miami (LCMS)

– Paul and Lisa Martinson, South Miami Lutheran Church, Miami (ELCA)

– Paul Perretta, Messiah Lutheran Church, Miami (ELCA)

– Peggy Ruggieri, Martin Luther Chapel, Marathon (LCMS)

– Rogelio Rivera and Amerilys Clemente-Falcon, San Pablo Apostol Lutheran Church, Miami (LCMS)

– Ronaldo Alexander Barry, St. Timothy Lutheran Church, Miami Gardens (ELCA)

A special award was presented to Rev. Jean-Pierre Marc-Charles of St. John Lutheran Church by Southeast Regional Director Joan Shaw-Davis in recognition of his work with the Victims of Torture program.

LSF President and CEO Samuel M. Sipes presented the Good Samaritan awards. Laurel Marc-Charles of St. John Lutheran Church and Rev. Alan Sielk of Grace Lutheran Church served as emcees. Rev. Arlene Landin of Messiah Lutheran read greetings from Bishop Edward R. Benoway of the Florida-Bahamas Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. David Weidner 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 Bell Carbonic, Emily Gomez, Rev. Jean-Pierre and Laurel Marc-Charles, Miami-Dade Advisory Council, Joan Reitsma, Republic National Distributing Corp. – Mark Dignum, St. Matthew’s Lutheran Church, St. Paul Lutheran Church Women, Tamara Thomas and Thrivent Financial for Lutherans Miami-Dade County Chapter. Christ the King Lutheran Church once again served as host church for the event.

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

Lutheran Services Florida is a statewide, nonprofit human services agency dedicated to helping all people in need regardless of religious affiliation, age or national origin. Headquartered in Tampa, the agency has more than 60 programs located throughout Florida. Since it was established in 1982, LSF has helped more than 850,000 children and families. LSF’s mission is to bring God’s healing, hope and help to people in need.