The Helping Hands column focuses on the town’s 12 volunteer committees and boards that promote various causes in Miami Lakes and help the town government serve the community.
Committee activities are funded by the town budget and by ticket sales from some events.
Committee Youth Activities Task Force
Founded April 21, 2001
Chair Brian Rodriguez
Vice Chair Maurits Acosta
Secretary Ariana Rejas
Members Angelica Torres; Leyla Cobiella; Miami-Dade Police Community Relations Officer Robin Amador; Gabriella Vega; Leonardo Ladeira; Teacher Ana Soto; Taylor Carballo and Hailie Prieto.
Purpose Explore the development of positive activities for town youth.
The Youth Activities Task Force is different than the other committees in town in that it’s run by students who receive community service hours for volunteering and for their hard work.
On Oct. 28, the task force will host its most popular event, the Nightmare on Montrose. The family-friendly celebration of Halloween welcomes costumed revelers for a fun night of fright at Veterans Park.
It’s one of several task force events that include the Bike Rodeo & Safety Day for kids and cops, Movies in the Park and the Spring Fling, when kids search for 30,000 Easter eggs hidden in Veterans Park.
The task force also partners with the Public Safety Committee, the Education Advisory Board, Neighborhood Improvement Committee and Special Needs Advisory Board during their events, and the other committees reciprocate.
Chair Brian Rodriguez has been a member for 11 years. He began volunteering with the group while in his freshman year at Monsignor Edward Pace High School.
“My goal is to give experience not only to my committee, but all of my volunteers [and] give them responsibility,” Rodriguez said.
Rodriguez wants the kids to leave the task force ready to assume roles in college and beyond by learning different skills.
“I like to incorporate the whole committee and the volunteers’ opinions, to get their feedback,” Rodriguez said.
He wants the group to have fun, too.
“What I hope to accomplish is teamwork…that’s one of my biggest things,” Rodriguez said.
Rodriguez said a lot of the members are ambitious students who want to go into politics and law, among other careers. Their time on the task force gives them experience working with local government.
The Youth Activities Task Force meets the third Wednesday of every month at Miami Lakes Town Hall at 7 p.m.
To join this or any other committee, file a form with Miami Lakes Town Clerk Gina Inguanzo and attend two committee meetings.
A council member will then recommend the applicant. Committee members must live or work in town, and some committees require a background check.
For more information go to https://bit.ly/3lRTaA9.
In the photo: The Miami Lakes Youth Activities Task Force, back row from left: Town of Miami Lakes liaison Ernesto Soto; Vice Chair Maurits Acosta; Ana Soto, a teacher at Barbara Goleman Senior High School; member Leonardo Ladeira; Chair Brian Rodriguez and Miami-Dade Police Community Relations Officer Robin Amador. Front row: Gabriella Vega, Ariana Rejas and Hailie Prieto. Not pictured: Taylor Carballo, Leyla Cobiella and Angelica Torres. Photo provided by Ernesto Soto.