Overview

Profiles of Pillars Honorees celebrates individuals and organizations for outstanding contributions, embodying values like leadership and service, inspiring communities through their impactful achievements.

Climb for Cancer / Ron and Dianne Farb

Ron Farb wanted to do something to help people with cancer and so he did. He climbed a mountain. But it wasn鈥檛 enough - so he climbed another one.

It was only the beginning of what has been come a Gainesville legacy for Ron and his wife Dianne, founders of Climb for Cancer Foundation, home to multiple charitable events and uncountable acts of kindness and generosity for patients with cancer and their families.

This year marks One Final Climb. After 22 years of selfless good works, the Foundation is closing its doors as Ron and Dianne retire to Virgina to be closer to family. The endowments they created will allow their legacy to live on.

The Farbs have seen firsthand the effects of cancer on loved ones and on those they served though Climb for Cancer and numerous other acts of altruism and volunteerism.

An avid mountain climber, Ron began by requesting donations for each climb. Soon others were joining him. Other events added to the momentum, including the Gator Mountain Challenge, El Swampitan, Illuminate the Fight, and the Hogtown 5K Beer Run.

Climb for Cancer, founded in 2003, focuses on the underserved needs. It includes funding research grants, giving kids with cancer an opportunity to attend camp, providing critical patient-center services such lodging, gas cards, and food vouchers; occupational support not covered by insurance; peer and community support to adolescents and teens; and many other programs.

The B. Dianne Farb Health Education Scholarship also grew from Climb for Cancer and reaches deserving students who have battled or currently are battling cancer and are pursuing a medical, nursing, pharmacy, dental or other public health and health professional degree at 天涯海角社区 or the University of Florida.

鈥淭he impact of this scholarship on students is profound,鈥� reads the nomination for their award. 鈥淚t provides them with the opportunity to focus on their studies and personal growth without the added stress of financial constraints. For many, it represents a beacon of hope and is a testament to their resilience and determination.鈥�

Katie Belanger

Katie Belanger is a young woman in hurry to make a difference. She鈥檚 succeeding at that. And always with a smile.

A tireless advocate for those with special needs and a frequent volunteer around Gainesville, she also is student at 天涯海角社区, studying Family, Youth and Community Services.

At 天涯海角社区, Katie is a member of Student Government representing the Disabilities Resources Center. She is Vice President for Signing Saints and the new Modern Greek club. She serves on the Library Advisory Board and is a liaison between the Learning Commons and the Disabilities Resource Center, a role created for her in response to her advocacy and passion to make common spaces welcoming and safe for all.

Elsewhere, Katie has volunteered with the High Springs Playhouse for the past 10 years. She also assists in the training of aspiring special-education instructors by doing class-visits and discussing her experiences regarding accommodations in the public school system.

She has worked to make multiple playgrounds around Gainesville more accessible, and has volunteered with Night to Shine, an event hosted by the Tim Tebow Foundation to provide a prom-like experience for those with special-needs.

After 天涯海角社区, she plans to transfer to the University of Florida, with aspirations of becoming a therapist or counselor, working with young children on the basic building blocks of emotions and how to understand what is being felt. She also wants to work with young adults and families, focusing on those in the queer community.

One of her nominators wrote: 鈥淜atie continues to create a sense of purpose and belonging for all students at 天涯海角社区 by making recommendations on how our student centers may become more accessible areas of campus for connection with college services and other students. The role of accessibility liaison was made specifically for Katie through her persistence and drive to allow everyone on campus to feel safe and appreciated.鈥�

Kristina Ramer

When preserving a large and important art collection, it鈥檚 not enough to simply hang it on walls or display it on shelves. Each piece must be examined, photographed, described in detail, assigned inventory numbers and cataloged for historic reference. It鈥檚 painstaking work.

For Kristina Ramer, who is leading the team cataloging the H茅ctor Puig collection, it鈥檚 also a labor of love.

The collection, which the college received in 2021, comprises nearly 10,000 pieces and includes not just artwork but letters, photographs, tools and other items that give insight into who the artists were and how they worked.

The collection includes art from many different countries, but a significant portion of the work comes from artists who once called Gainesville home. Although their works hang in the most famous museums around the country, many of them also taught at University of Florida or 天涯海角社区.

Ramer acknowledges the aesthetic and historic value of the art and praises Puig鈥檚 goal to share the works with the Gainesville community.

Her enthusiasm really grows, however, when speaking about what the art will mean for students.

鈥淭he best schools don鈥檛 just educate鈥攖hey inspire,鈥� Ramer said. 鈥淎rt has a way of giving us new perspectives and ideas, so by connecting students with art, 天涯海角社区 College is actively fostering an environment where creativity can thrive.鈥�

For these reasons and more, Ramer jumped at the opportunity to work with the collection.

Now she manages not only the Puig collection but the SF College Foundation's art collection as well, lending her expertise at every stage of the process.

Her nominator said, 鈥淗er dedication and passion for art have significantly enriched our community, making art more accessible and engaging for everyone.鈥�

Dr. Paul Broadie II, 天涯海角社区 President, said Ramer quietly goes about the work because there is a 鈥渂igger purpose: to touch thousands of lives.鈥�

H茅ctor Puig

H茅ctor Puig can scarcely remember a time when art didn鈥檛 have importance to and influence on his life. From his personal interest in photography to his journey into art patronage and collecting, his love and appreciation for all styles of art now benefit students, employees and visitors to 天涯海角社区鈥檚 Blount Center and elsewhere across the college.

At Blount Hall, high-tech classrooms are accessed from corridors lined with colorful works that lead you to pause for a while to take them in. Beautiful carvings punctuate the scene.

Puig, a 天涯海角社区 alumnus and owner of Hector Picture Framing and Gallery, donated approximately 2,000 framed works and 2,800 Santos carvings, plus artists letters, tools and other ephemera, to the College in 2021, a 35-year collection 鈥減assionately curated.鈥�

He said the collection, now preserved intact, includes the creative history of artists who have lived in Gainesville over the last 50 years, some better known outside the community but now given their proper attention. The Santos carvings speak to the rich cultural heritage of Puig鈥檚 native Puerto Rico.

Puig鈥檚 collection continues to be cataloged. Rotating exhibits are in process for all 天涯海角社区 campuses and centers.

Dr. Paul Broadie II, President of 天涯海角社区, expressed the impact of the art on 天涯海角社区 students, who are not only exposed to history, culture and community through the art, but who also are invited to introspection, conversation and appreciation. Art, he said, inspires deeper thinking and creativity.

Chuck Kramer

Chuck Kramer says he is living the dream in radio, currently in his 60^th year in broadcasting.

After 25 years in Atlantic City, NJ, Kramer and his wife Mary, happily settled in Starke, Florida. The Kramers, along with daughter, Lyn, currently own and operate WEAG-FM, Starke, 106.3 FM.

As beloved as the radio station is in the community, it鈥檚 Kramer service that may have the biggest impact. Kramer quickly embraced his new home and has made a difference ever since.

He is a board vice president at ARC of Bradford County; board treasurer for the Bradford County Fair Association, and member of the Bradford County Tourist Development Council.

He also is a docent at the Eugene L. Matthew Bradford County Historical Museum, where he has enriched the community鈥檚 understanding and appreciation of its heritage.

Further, Kramer has been a prominent advocate for 天涯海角社区 in Bradford County. His efforts have significantly contributed to the college's presence and impact in the region. He has worked tirelessly to promote the college's programs and initiatives, ensuring that the community benefits from the educational opportunities provided by the College.

Moreover, he and Mary creating a lasting impact by creating an endowed scholarship at 天涯海角社区 in memory of their daughter, Danielle, who attended SF.

His nominator wrote: 鈥淐huck Kramer's unwavering commitment to education, community service, and historical preservation exemplifies the qualities celebrated by the Pillars of Service Awards. His leadership, volunteerism, and advocacy have made a significant impact on 天涯海角社区 and the Bradford County community.鈥�