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United Way honored four community leaders and one outstanding young person whose work has had a real and lasting impact on our community.  The awards ceremony took place during United Way’s 2010 Annual Meeting and Volunteer Awards Program on Tuesday, June 29, at the Jungle Island Treetop Ballroom, 1111 Parrot Jungle Trail. A new slate of officers, directors and trustees were also selected.

Superintendent Alberto Carvalho, Miami-Dade County Public Schools; Taylor Davis, Outstanding Youth Award Honoree; Harve A. Mogul, CEO, United Way of Miami-Dade; Sheldon Anderson, Board Chair, United Way of Miami-Dade

This year’s honorees include Barth A. Green, M.D., neurosurgeon dedicated to creating effective treatments and finding a cure for paralysis, and co-founder of University of Miami Global Institute/Project Medishare, currently providing medical services to tens of thousands of Haitians; documentary film directors, Jim Bigham and Alexandra Codina, for their respective documentary films that brought to light the struggles and successes of individuals with mental and physical disabilities; Raúl Martinez, (posthumously) a leader who dedicated his life to assisting young people reach their full potential; and Taylor Davis, an art student committed to helping fellow students advance in their craft.

Following is additional information on the award winners:

The Dorothy Shula Award for Outstanding Volunteerism

This award honors volunteers whose work brings hope, promise and opportunity into the lives of others and has made a lasting, positive impact on a person, group or the whole community.

Barth A. Green, M.D.
Dr. Barth A. Green is professor and chairman of the Department of Neurological Surgery at the University of Miami and chief of neurosurgery at Jackson and VA Medical centers.    During medical school, Green began his life-long commitment toward creating effective treatments and finding a cure for paralysis.  More than 16 years ago, Green also co-founded the University of Miami Global Institute/Project Medishare to provide medical services in some of the poorest areas of Haiti.  Immediately after the January 12th earthquake, Green gathered a small group of doctors and essential medical supplies and traveled to Haiti to provide emergency medical care to its victims.  Initially working out of a United Nations tent hospital at the airport, Green treated hundreds of seriously injured Haitians, and worked to establish a Haiti relief program out of the university to bring volunteers and medical supplies and equipment to Haiti.  That small tent hospital is now the only Level I trauma/critical care center in Haiti.

Along with NFL Hall of Famer Nick Buoniconti, Green co-founded The Miami Project to Cure Paralysis, which is now the world’s largest and most comprehensive spinal cord injury and paralysis research center.  He also co-founded Shake-A-Leg Miami, a program that annually serves thousands of children and adults with physical, mental and financial challenges. >> More

The Essie Silva Community Builder Award

This award honors an individual who improves our community by addressing problems that affect different cultural and ethnic groups.

Jim Bigham and Alexandra Codina
Through two inspirational award-winning documentary films, Miami-based directors Jim Bigham and Alexandra Codina bring to the forefront a subject matter rarely discussed, much less featured on the big screen.  The films – “For Once in My Life,” recipient of the Audience Award for Best Documentary Feature at the SXSW Film Festival and again at the Sarasota Film Festival, Best Documentary Feature at Sonoma, and Best Documentary Feature and Special Jury Award for Music Impact at Nashville; and “Monica & David,” Best Documentary Feature winner at the Tribeca Film Festiva – celebrate the lives of people with mental and physical disabilities.

In "For Once in My Life," Bigham, who has more than 25 film credits, shadows the members of the Spirit of Goodwill Band, all of whom have some type of mental and physical disability, as they prepare to perform at the U.S. Mayor's Convention in Miami. 

In “Monica and David,” Codina, recently named one of the "10 Filmmakers to Watch in 2009" by The Independent, chronicles the first year of marriage of her cousin, Monica to David, both who have Down syndrome.  The film captures the couple's struggle to find work, gain independence and live as husband and wife. >> More

The Monsignor Walsh Outstanding Human Services Professional Award

This award recognizes a human services professional who has dedicated his or her career to helping others.  This person has helped to shape a caring, responsive social services delivery system and has afforded hundreds of people in our community an opportunity for a healthy, productive and quality life.  

Raúl Martinez
Raúl Martinez began his career in ASPIRA as a gang intervention counselor in 1986, and moved up the ranks to become president and CEO in 1989.  Throughout his adult life, he had one mission -- to provide the highest quality programming for Hispanic and underserved youth who are at risk of dropping out of school.  As president and CEO of ASPIRA for 21 years, he carried out that mission.  His legacy rests in a lifetime of commitment to assisting young people to use their potential for their own success and therefore, the improvement of their communities.  Martinez passed away on May 30, 2010. >> More

The Outstanding Youth Award

This award recognizes a Miami-Dade County youth under 18 years of age for leadership, commitment and character through service and volunteerism.  This person, through his or her commitment of time and talent, has given unselfishly for the betterment of the community.

Taylor Davis
Taylor Davis is an art magnet student at Southwood Middle School, best known for working consistently to achieve her goals.  Aware that budget cuts and the current economy would prevent many students from purchasing their art supplies, Davis set out to raise money and collect art supplies for her school’s visual arts program.  My Summer Mission, as she called it, was to write letters to art supply businesses asking for donations.  Davis spent much of her summer vacation handwriting more than 40 letters to companies around the globe. Thus far, she’s garnered $30,000 in funds and supplies.  She has now formed The Traveling Canvas, a nonprofit organization that helps art programs in need of supplies and materials.  >> More