One of Miami’s Community Newspapers _____________________________________ Supporting local businesses since 1958
Coral Gables AUGUST 18, 2009
_____________________________________
www.communitynewspapers.com
______________________________
Teen provides voice for domestic abuse victims BY LIANE MOREJON omestic violence is a problem that largely remains a silent one. The abuse, whether physical or emotional, usually is committed behind closed doors and never openly discussed. But 17-year-old Emily Martinez-Lanza, an intern at the Coral Gables City Clerk’s Office and Coral Gables resident, is fighting to give a voice to victims of domestic abuse and raise awareness through her own organization. Martinez-Lanza is the founder and president of Teens Against Domestic Abuse (TADA). The Gulliver Preparatory School student started the first chapter of TADA in 2008 after an incident involving domestic violence affected her personally. “The idea came after a family friend’s mother was murdered as a result of domestic abuse,” Martinez-Lanza said. “I was a little girl when this occurred, but as I got older I realized the scope of what had happened and I understood the tragic nature of her death.” Martinez-Lanza began to research domestic violence and found that the problem was more common than she ever had imagined. “The problem is widespread,” Martinez-Lanza said. “It is just as widespread as drugs and alcohol abuse, and
Gables Great
D
CORAL GABLES DEALS << FOR SALE BY: HOMEXPERTS 305.351.8628
33134 3/2 - 1,654 sq-ft.
$325,000
Gabe Castrillon makes difference in lives of others BY GLORIA BURNS
Emily Martinez-Lanza, an intern at the Coral Gables City Clerk’s Office, is the founder and president of Teens Against Domestic Abuse (TADA).
yet it is not taught in schools. Without even knowing it, people may know someone who has been affected by domestic abuse. “So the mission of TADA is twofold: To educate and, in turn, prevent abuse before it happens and stop the cycle before it begins, and also to fundraise and directly help the victims.” She also is working on a legislative initiative that would require mandatory
33134 2/2 - 1,567 sq-ft.
$2,100/mo Annual Rent is 5% of Estimated Value
Based on info from SEFML as of 8-11-09. Details and more undervalued homes at:
www.communitynewspapers.com
–––––––––––––––––––––––– See
VICTIMS, page 6
––––––––––––––––– See
CASTRILLON, page 6
Coral Gables to offer free CPR certification course BY MARIA ROSA HIGGINS FALLON
35% below value
FOR RENT>>
domestic abuse education in schools. She already has implemented domestic abuse prevention classes as part of Gulliver’s health curriculum. Martinez-Lanza is working on starting new TADA chapters in other high schools. “The goal is to spread [TADA] to other schools,” she said. “So far, that has been
Gabe Castrillon, general manager of the Hyatt Regency Coral Gables, is well deserving of accolades for his dedication to the community and for his efforts to make a difference in the lives of others. A Gables resident, Castrillon is married to Diana and is the GABE CASTRILLON proud father of daughter Melissa, who is a special education teacher, and son, Andres, who recently received his law degree from George Washington University.
eginning in September, the City of Coral Gables will offer an American Heart Association CPR certification course for those interested in knowing how to perform lifesaving skills. The course also will teach how to use the Automatic External
B
Defibrillator (AED) which is now required in certain large public buildings in Coral Gables. The educational program is made possible through a generous grant from Tenet Healthcare Foundation and Coral Gables Hospital. The three-hour courses begin on Monday, Sept. 14. Subsequent classes will be offered the first Monday of each
month, from 9 a.m. until noon, at Fire Station 3, located at 11911 Old Cutler Rd. After completion of the course, a CPR/AED certification card, valid for two years, will be issued. For course information, contact Laura Rodriguez, Coral Gables Fire Department Public Education Specialist at 305-460-5576 or via email at <lrodriguez@coralgables.com>.