Street named in honor of Elly Chovel

MIAMI | Elly Chovel's daughter, nieces, nephews and grandchildren were in attendance Nov. 2 as Miami-Dade County officially named S.E. 15th Road, between Brickell Avenue and Biscayne Bay, in honor of the founder of Operation Pedro Pan Group, the organization for Cubans who were brought into the U.S. as unaccompanied minors in the early 1960s. Chovel also was an active supporter of Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Miami, and was instrumental in the creation of the agency's Msgr. Bryan O. Walsh's Children's Village in southwestern Miami-Dade County. She died of a cerebral hemorrhage on Aug. 31, 2007 at age 61.

Members of Operation Pedro Pan Group gather every November around Thanksgiving, a tradition begun when Msgr. Walsh was alive. He was the Irish-born Miami priest who signed the visa waivers that allowed the Cuban children to travel to U.S. And he also took responsibility for caring for them until their parents arrived, or reuniting them with relatives who were already here.

On Friday, Nov. 16, the Pedro Pans will begin their annual weekend of events by unveiling a Florida Heritage Landmark Marker at the former Florida City Camp  - the largest of the camps that housed Pedro Pan children. It is the first time that a marker is written both in English and Spanish. At the same time, N.W. Second Avenue in Florida City will be named as Pedro Pan Place.