Meandering Around Town # 34: The 200 Club

June 25, 2026 Staff

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AN ADVENTURE IN WHICH A FORMER MAYOR CONTINUES TO SEEK THE “SOUL” OF HIS HOMETOWN

Left: Cookie Thelen, Past President Ed Williamson, Carol Williamson, Louise Stansell
Right: Tricia Bell and Mary Snow

This past month I rambled to the Spring banquet of The Two Hundred Club of Greater Miami, which was held at Riviera Country Club. If we are searching for our community’s “soul” this charitable organization clearly represents the goodness in the hearts and minds of our residents.

The Club was founded in 1968 by several prominent citizens, including Ralph Renick and Ben McGahey, for the purpose of providing financial assistance to the families of first responders who lose their lives in the line of duty. It functions for the benefit of all law enforcement officers and firefighters in Dade County working for municipal, county, state, and federal agencies. Immediate monetary assistance is provided to the family of the deceased as soon as appropriate after a fatality. The Club’s support for the surviving family members also includes an annual cash gift provided to each child through and including his or her 18th birthday. Since its inception, the Club has paid benefits totaling more than $1,000,000.00. The Club does not seek public funding. It is supported by membership dues, investment earnings, corporate donations, and estate bequests.

At the recent dinner, the current President, Jose Perdomo, told me their philosophy that no family should be left alone in the wake of a tragic loss. “For over five decades, the Club has been stepping forward to provide immediate support to the families of fallen law enforcement officers and firefighters in their time of greatest need,” he said. “Through the unwavering generosity of its members, the Club honors these heroes by standing beside their loved ones with compassion, dignity, and lasting commitment.”

Retired Miami Beach Police Officer and Club member, Rosa Redruello, added to our conversation: “Having spent a career in law enforcement, this great organization allows me to continue providing ‘back up’ to my fellow first responders,” she said. “Serving on the committee that personally visits families in need by providing financial relief during such difficult times has been especially impactful. Witnessing their appreciation and seeing the sense of relief in their faces is truly priceless.”

We can be truly proud of the number of Coral Gables citizens who have served as President of this truly great organization. They include: Stan Dodd, Charles Kimbrell, Bill Quesenberry, Jr., Jack Hoehl, Ed Williamson, Jack Eades, Dick Anderson, Bob Ellyson, D. Alan Nichols, Richard Cole, Jon Zeder, Ben Battle, Bill Walker, Alex Soto, Jack Brumbaugh, Huber Parsons, Harold Humphrey, Dr. Richard Souviron, Susan Perry-Fuhrman, Kathy Ezell, Bob Gallagher, Edgar Jones, Ed Hudak, Mike Gold, Ann Stith, Jim Hartnstein, and me.

I believe that this “meander” has led me to the discovery of a very significant piece of our hometown’s soul!

This column appears monthly by Don Slesnick, who served as mayor of Coral Gables from 2001 to 2011. If you wish to reach him with suggestions on where he should next meander in search of the city’s soul, email donslesnick@scllp.com.

EDITOR’S NOTE: Coral Gables has a similar charitable organization all its own – LEAF – which provides a financial safety net for the families of uniformed police and firefighters who lost their lives, were injured, or became disabled in the line of duty. The charity was created by Willy Bermello and is administered through the Coral Gables Community Foundation.