During the October 2014 Special Council Presentation, Councilwoman Judy Waldman bestowed a special Kindness Award to Charles and Emilia Gugliuzza for their years of involvement in charity-based initiatives throughout the Homestead community.
Councilwoman Waldman first implemented the Kindness Award in 2002 as a way to recognize random acts of kindness by everyday citizens. The award was inspired by the 10th anniversary of Hurricane Andrew’s decimation of the Homestead area and the acts of courage by its citizenry in response to the devastation.
In addition to his daily duties as the owner of area property management company Alton Madison Property Management, Mr. Gugliuzza was recently appointed as the Governor of the Florida District of Kiwanis International thus making his wife, Emilia, the first ever Hispanic First Lady in the organization’s 79 year history. Mrs. Gugliuzza hit the ground running in her new role and has already published a hard-cover manual entitled “Spouses/Partners Lieutenant Governors Training Guide in the Kiwanis Florida District,” to be used as a resource guide covering topics such as event protocol. In September, she participated in a Kiwanis International Delegation with the United National UNICEF in Indonesia that directly vaccinates mothers to prevent them from getting maternal/neonatal tetanus, a disease which causes nearly 60,000 infant deaths per year. Through their combined efforts, the Gugliuzzas have raised about $2.5 million for Kiwanis groups in the district since 2011. They have also been very active with their partners in the Homestead and Upper Keys Kiwanis Club and the U.S. Special Operations Command South in bringing the Christmas spirit every year to the children attending the Campbell Drive K-8 Center.
“Charles and Emilia Gugliuzza stand for the kind of altruism and dedication to the well-being of others that can change the world,” said Councilwoman Waldman of the honorees. “The kindness they embody and the enthusiasm they show in all their endeavors makes them worthy recipients of this Kindness Award.”