These are the winners for Broward's Other 2022 featuring the Best Animal Rescue and more.
Best Animal Rescue: Pet Project
2200 NW 9th Ave, Wilton Manors, FL 33311
For doing an excellent job of taking care of animals, The Pet Project has won the Best Animal Rescue award.
The Pet Project is a charitable organization that helps distributes pet food and supplies to clients via a monthly pet food bank in both Broward and Miami/Dade. It also offers home deliveries for clients who cannot go to a food bank.
“The best thing is what they provide for the community. They rotate their inventory regularly and have done a great job and improving the thrift store,” wrote a reviewer on Facebook.
Runner-up: Abandoned Pet Rescue
-KS
Best Restaurant: Wilton Manors / Best Burger / Best Take Out of Towner: Rosie’s Bar and Grill
2449 Wilton Dr.
954-563-0123
We split this category up to represent different geographic areas. It gives a truer representation of our readership. Contrary to popular opinion the world does not fall into outer space outside the border of Wilton Manors. Dividing this category also gives some other popular restaurants a chance against the juggernaut that is Rosie’s, which takes the crown for the 10th time.
“We always work hard to maintain our high standards and quality, knowing that people have several options when they go out to eat, and we always try to offer more than a meal … we offer a little escape from the daily stressful hustle and give everyone a place to be part of a family,” said owner John Zieba. “We truly appreciate our guests for always supporting Rosie’s and being a part of our Rosie’s family.”
The popular community gathering spot is known for its killer burgers (it captured the Best Burger crown too).
Besides their burgers Zieba also recommends their huge salads and fresh fish.
Rosie’s takes home the win for Best Place to Take an Out of Towner as well, because really no trip to Wilton Manors is complete without a visit to Rosie’s.
Runner-up for Best Restaurant in Wilton Manors: Tulio's Tacos and Tequila Bar
Runner-up for Best Burger: Pub On the Drive
Runner-up for Best Place to Take An Out of Towner: Sebastian Beach
-RK
Best Place to People Watch: The Drive
Duh. What an obvious choice. The Drive has it all – and more! From LGBT bars and eclectic eateries to clothing stores and sex shops, the Drive has a little bit of something for everyone. So what better place to sit people watch than the heart of the gayborhood?
Runner-up: Sebastian Beach
-JP
Best Sports Team / League: Running (Front Runners & Walkers)
In an upset this year Frontrunners sped past its competition to take the top spot for Best Sports Team and Best Sports League.
Front Runners is a running and walking group offering a supportive environment for members, welcoming LGBT people from all areas of life.
Frontrunners beat out the gay softball league, who won Best League for the last seven years. Last year Frontrunners tied for first place for Best Sports Team but this year they stood at the podium all alone.
“We are a team built on individual accomplishments, but we truly encourage each other and celebrate each other's efforts and victories,” Eric Runyan, the organization’s president, said last year. “We are a family that encourages excellence but prizes progress.”
Runner-up for Best Sports League: SFAAA
Runner-up for Best Sports Team: The Pub Riptide
– JP
Best Non-Profit / Best HIV-Related Non-Profit: SunServe
2312 Wilton Dr, Wilton Manors
SunServe provides housing, mental health and other social services to those in need. Its substance use disorder and transgender services departments provide competent care to the community. It has a Housing Opportunities for Persons With AIDS (HOPWA) Program to assist people with HIV to find a place to live.
SunServe provides education to help reduce stigma and can link its clients to HIV medical care through its partnership with AHF. But it’s not just doing the work that earns SunServe so many superlatives. It’s how it does it, and the credit goes to the hardworking people who work there.
“SunServe has been experiencing a renaissance over the last year with the expansion of core programs, the addition of new services, and hiring of several key staff members that have really made our mental health work and social services stronger for the communities we serve,” said SunServe’s CEO Tony Lima. “I just celebrated my first year as CEO, and I can tell you that our staff has never been more diverse, passionate, and committed as we are in this moment in time.”
Runner-up for Non-profit: Latinos Salud
Runner-up for HIV-related non-profit: Latinos Salud
– DR
Best Spiritual Center: Center for Spiritual Living
4849 North Dixie Highway, Oakland Park
954-566-2868
For over a decade the Sunshine Cathedral reigned supreme as our community’s top Spiritual Center. This year things turned around, and the Cathedral now plays second fiddle to the Center for Spiritual Living.
Though not necessarily an “LGBT church” (or even a church) the Center attracts a large LGBT following. It describes itself as “a loving and diverse spiritual community dedicated to personal growth, healing, and service. Center for Spiritual Living Fort Lauderdale (or CSL) is a member of a global organization called Centers for Spiritual Living with over 500 centers worldwide.”
It benefits from the experienced and charismatic leadership of its Senior Minister, Rev. Skip Jennings, and its Prayer Practitioner Team. Its Sunday morning (10:30 a.m.) services feature a lively congregation, Rev. Jennings’s words of wisdom, and the Center’s inspiring musicians, led by Musical Director/Lead Vocalist Antonio Edwards.
As Rev. Jennings says, “love elevates my consciousness, my life is manifested through high intentions and God-vibrations.”
Runner Up – Sunshine Cathedral
-JM
Best Museum: Museum of Discovery and Science (MODS)
401 S.W. 2nd Street, Fort Lauderdale
For the first time since SFGN began to publish its annual “Best of” lists, the Stonewall National Museum and Archives is not Broward’s “Best Museum.”
Instead, Fort Lauderdale’s Museum of Discovery and Science has that honor. Though many would think of it as “a children’s museum,” MODS plays an important role in our scientific and cultural life.
Founded in 1976 as the Discovery Center, “the Museum of Discovery and Science is at the forefront of science education, innovation, and exploration. MODS connects people to inspiring science.”
Under the leadership of Joseph P. Cox, President and CEO since February 2018, MODS has expanded its outreach to cover all our communities, including the LGBT community.
Said Cox, “inclusion and accessibility are at the core of who we are and what we aspire to be for this community. Inclusivity means creating a culture of hospitality where diversity is celebrated, and all family structures are supported. It means we strive to provide an engaging, fun, meaningful and educational experience for families with physical and emotional disabilities. And it means ensuring ‘open doors’ for those of all financial circumstances, as well as all social and economic backgrounds, religions, gender identification and sexual orientation.”
Runner Up – Stonewall National Museum and Archives
– JM
Best Neighborhood: Central Wilton Manors
Runner-up: Middle River Terrace
-JP
All courtesy photos.
Read the Best Of 2022 Issue on Issuu.com.
