She rediscovered her love of painting during the pandemic
One thing we can be grateful for this year is how we have learned to be creative despite the challenges of the novel coronavirus pandemic.
For Marjorie Hahn, executive and musical director of the South Florida Youth Symphony, a return to her original passion of painting has made all the difference.
“I’ve always been an artist, inheriting the gift from my father, who was a commercial artist,” Hahn said. “In high school [North Miami Senior High] I did drawings, sculptures and oil paintings, and in college it was acrylics. I always loved to draw and paint.”
From home, Hahn has inspired nearly 200 young musicians to stay on track by arranging weekly Zoom practices and rehearsing for online concerts. There have been four virtual performances so far. The South Florida Youth Symphony is one of the nation’s leading youth music organizations.
“Keeping the kids enthused and focused has been a real challenge,” Hahn said. “Like everyone during this pandemic, they get down. My instructors and I let them know that music DOES matter, and it touches the lives of countless people. It’s just touching those lives online right now, rather than in person.”
In addition to motivating her young musicians, Hahn said she had to engage herself and not sit around moping.
She said a year before the pandemic, she and her husband, Jack, were on a cruise when she noticed a watercolor artist. “I can do that,” she remembers saying. “But I don’t think I’ll ever have the time.” Now, she does.
She has made about 24 paintings since April, mostly from photographs, as well as some still life. Many of her paintings are now in the homes of friends and relatives, but recently she was commissioned to create a piece by a former youth symphony student.
“Actually, getting paid was exciting,” she said. “Music will always be number one in my life, but the artistic side of me has been reawakened during this unusual time we’re all experiencing. Painting — creating — has been fun.”
The award-winning South Florida Youth Symphony is inviting talented young musicians to audition. For more information, visit sfys.net or write to MakeMusic@sfys.net.
Congratulations to Don Slesnick
It was a special Veterans Day honor for former Coral Gables Mayor Don Slesnick when he was inducted into the Florida Veterans’ Hall of Fame.
Slesnick, a Vietnam veteran, one-time U.S. Army advisor to NATO forces in Germany, and, most recently, Army Reserve Ambassador for Florida, was one of 20 Florida veterans recognized this year.
“I am proud and humbled to say that I was inducted into the State of Florida’s Veterans’ Hall of Fame,” Slesnick said. “It is said that there are approximately 1.5 million vets in Florida, of which just over 100 have been inducted to the Hall. In this year’s class of 20 new inductees, I am the only veteran from Miami-Dade County.”
The group recognizes those military veterans who have made a significant contribution through their civic, business and public service. Not a traditional hall of fame, it focuses on post-military contributions to the State of Florida.
“I was honored to forward the names of these great Americans to the governor and cabinet,” said Florida Department of Veterans’ Affairs Deputy Executive Director James S. “Hammer” Hartsell, a retired Marine Corps major general. “These former service members represent the best of the best of our veteran community.”
While the induction ceremony had to be held virtually, it was recorded and can be viewed at https://youtu.be/cUECPsloVnM
Miami Lighthouse helps the needy
Free eye exams and prescription glasses were given to more than 30 children at Lotus House by licensed optometrists in a mobile optometric unit operated by The Florida Heiken Florida Children’s Vision Program, a subsidiary of Miami Lighthouse for the Blind & Visually Impaired.
The optometrists visited the safe haven for women, youth and children experiencing homelessness Oct. 29 in honor of World Blindness Awareness Month.
“Too many underprivileged children suffer from undiagnosed vision problems that limit their abilities to learn,” said Virginia Jacko, president and CEO of Miami Lighthouse.
For Thanksgiving week, volunteers at Miami Lighthouse for the Blind are delivering 100 meals to needy families throughout Miami-Dade County. Recipients include families of visually impaired individuals from the Miami Lighthouse’s Social Group Health and Activities Program.
The Lions for the Blind donated the meals, and Miami-Dade County Commissioner Eileen Higgins provided additional frozen turkeys.
“The coronavirus pandemic has resulted in far too many instances of food insecurity. Our deliveries will provide some measure of relief and assure these families that they are not alone,” Jacko said.
Novice anglers learn to fish
More than 40 aspiring anglers from all around Florida, and other states too, came to learn from the pros at the award-winning Ladies, Let’s Go Fishing!® Keys University, Oct. 23-25, at the Elks Lodge in Tavernier.
The top winners of the Fishing Fever tournament included: Top Offshore, Jan Morris, who caught a 23.26 lb. wahoo on Sea Horse with Capt. Rick Rodriguez; Second Place Offshore, Noelle Goulart, who caught a 13.8 lb. King Mackerel on Blue Chip Too with Capt. Skip Bradeen; Top Inshore, Goulart again, with a 30.5 inch snook on Ankle Deep Charters with Capt. Jeremy Mathis; and Second Place Inshore, Anita Laico, who caught a 31 inch snook on Capt. Chris Hanson’s Scales 2 Tales.
A total of 180 fish were caught, with 101 released. Fish included sailfish, mahi, wahoo, blackfin tuna, yellowtail snapper, king mackerel, tarpon, snook, redfish, mangrove snapper, and sharks.
“It was the best day of my life!” said Morris, a novice angler who was not expecting to win the Top Offshore prize.
The Ladies, Let’s Go Fishing Foundation is a national charitable organization dedicated to attracting women and families to fishing while encouraging conservation and responsible angling. Visit www.ladiesletsgofishing.com
Tell us about your lights
In this year of the mask and social distancing, some residents are taking extra steps to decorate their houses for the holidays.
The Miami Herald would like to share some of the most beautiful decorations and light displays. If you have one you would like to share, or have seen one you want to nominate, send the address and contact information to Christina Mayo at ChristinaMMayo@gmail.com by Dec. 7.
