Acclaimed Mayo Clinic neurosurgeon Dr. Alfredo Quiñones-Hinojosa received the 2024 “Rock of the Community Award” Saturday, April 13, at the Rotary Club of Ponte Vedra Beach’s annual Mineral City Celebration, held at the Ponte Vedra Concert Hall.
An estimated 300 people attended the charity event, which featured the theme “The M*A*S*H BASH” and saw guests garbed in everything from hospital scrubs and army fatigues to bathrobes and Hawaiian shirts.
“It’s quite fitting that our theme tonight is ‘M*A*S*H,’ which celebrated the heroic efforts of surgeons saving lives under challenging circumstances,” Rotary Club President Jennifer Logue told guests. “That’s something with which I’m sure Dr. Quiñones can relate.”
A Ponte Vedra Beach resident, Quiñones was honored for his contributions to medical research and advances in the treatment of brain tumors. In addition to his groundbreaking work as a neurosurgeon, he is also the co-founder and president of Mission: BRAIN, a global nonprofit that provides critical medical services to patients in need in more than 25 countries.
A video shown at the event highlighted Quiñones’ rise from a migrant farm worker to Harvard Medical School graduate and world-renowned brain surgeon. In accepting the award, he thanked his family, his Mayo Clinic team – many of whom were in attendance – and the community for supporting research and efforts to improve health care around the world.
“In presenting the Rock of the Community Award, the Ponte Vedra Beach Rotary Club seeks not only to honor a deserving individual, but also to inspire others to embrace a spirit of service,” Logue said. “From his accomplishments as a neurosurgeon to his philanthropic efforts to provide care to underserved populations, ‘Dr. Q’ has made a profound positive impact both on First Coast residents and the wider world. We are thrilled to honor him as the 2024 Rock of the Community.”
The Mineral City Celebration is the signature annual fundraising event for the Rotary Club of Ponte Vedra Beach. Proceeds from the event have benefited dozens of local nonprofit organizations and charities, including the Beaches Dial-a-Ride program, Mission House, BEAM, HEAL, K9s for Warriors, United Way of St. Johns County, the Council on Aging and more.
