Tag: community

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How my child’s battle with cancer prepared our family for the pandemic

Thirteen years ago my life changed overnight. I was happily living a normal routine. Then, suddenly, I found myself in constant worry. I was fearful of financial ruin. I was having constant concern of a family member’s failing health, and anxiety of the possible effects to a compromised immune system.

I found myself feeling safer in isolation. I went down a rabbit hole of unpredictability checking numbers, incessantly wiping down surfaces, washing hands, and applying for social services like food stamps after losing my job.

Back then, the numbers I was checking were not the daily percent of positive tests for an invisible illness in my community or the number of local hospitalizations.

The numbers were of the different blood cells my son had. The illness that he had was not invisible. In fact, it could be seen under a microscope in a regular blood sample because it appeared black. It was cancer. He was only 6 years old, and I was 26.

The whole world was not experiencing it with us at that time. Although some 300,000 families experience it annually, we still felt like the only ones.

The journey started in May of 2007. Seven years later, my son
was done with chemo and cancer free.

During those seven years he endured more spinal taps, bone marrow aspirations, blood transfusions, and needle pokes than I could ever count (or want to).

He also went through a relapse, six fractures to his spine, a blood clot, and a stroke.

The journey was tiring, scary, and forever life-changing.

What I didn’t expect in the years following his recovery was how useful all that I learned would become.

All the heartaches and lessons I learned during that time would become a road map for navigating a future health crisis: The COVID-19 pandemic.

A year ago, in March 2020, we all were plummeted into a whole new world. To me, however, the landscape looked familiar.

I discovered that I was equipped to navigate it. Through my experiences I had garnered some tools in dealing with uncertainty and crisis. I want to share the top 10 with you.

Find Joy- I found during those hard times that joy seemed to elude me. I was submerged in worry and sadness. It took a while for me to recognize that in the toughest of times you must work at finding joy.

When you look for beauty, you will find it, and once you do, beauty and joy will naturally find you.

Show Gratitude & Appreciation-They say nothing is a better teacher than experience, and I would add nothing makes a person wiser than proper perspective.

Finding gratitude was hard at fi rst, but suddenly I became grateful for the little things that became big things to me; little things like a smile or laugh from my sick son, his immune system being strong enough to visit friends, or the gourmet coffee shop at the hospital. The minute I started learning to appreciate and have gratitude for the little things everything changed.

Be Flexible- Life will take you down paths you never predicted or saw coming. The lesson learned is that control is an illusion and hanging on to habits that once made sense, but do not anymore, will only make change that much harder to adapt to. Be willing to learn new things. Adapt your schedule, and go with the flow.

Create Fun- This is so important. Get creative. When my son was unable to go to movie theaters, attend parties or restaurants, we, as a family, brought the fun to us.

My parents started creating movie nights for him and his brother, and expanded them into themed movie nights.

There are no rules that say you need a bunch of people to throw a party! You
can throw a party on an easy budget with just your immediate family.

Since the pandemic, we started this again. We have thrown over 20 theme nights at home with just us that include costumes, dinner, and a movie, all  around a central theme.

Nothing is Forever- The best of times will not last, which could be a depressing thought, until you realize that also means the worst of times will not last forever either.

Everything on earth is temporary. EVERYTHING. So, breathe in the good and be present for it, and breathe out the tough times.

Find Stillness and Nature- Find time to meditate, pray, or just count your breaths in and out every day.

Experts say that 20 minutes of meditation a day is optimal. But days can get away from you in a crisis, so if you can only close your eyes and count 10 breaths in and out, say a mantra 10 times, or say a quick prayer to your God, it is more than nothing at all.

Also, even five minutes of observing nature can do wonders. Going outside is preferable, but some days I would only be able to watch the swaying of the trees or clouds through a hospital window. But even that would lighten my spirit enough to bring me some peace.

Ask for and Accept Help if You Need it- Having too much pride can have a devastating consequence on your family and soul. If you need help, ask for it, and if it is off ered, take it. There is no shame in it.

Give Love and Help Others- Nothing will make you happier than helping someone else. There is no medicine as powerful as putting your woes aside and focusing on helping another person. Look around you and see how even in turmoil you still possess the ability to better the lives of those around you,  and then do it.

Find Balance- This is something everyone struggles with in their lives, even without a crisis. It is important. However, it is even more important amid a crisis.

You will not achieve that every day. The important part is not pressuring yourself into perfection of balance, only striving for it over the course of your journey.

If you try to focus on balance without judging yourself for not perfecting it, in the arch of time, you will find you achieved it.

Make Humor a Coping Tool- Of all the tools and lessons learned throughout my life’s journey nothing is more potent a healer than humor.

Don’t take life so seriously because life itself is constantly contradictory, indecisive, and unpredictable. It is a beautiful mess, and so are you. Learn to
laugh about it!

In the end you should accept right now that your life will not look exactly like you envisioned it.

Your life may never be the same after this pandemic. It’s ok and natural to struggle with it. Just know that struggle is how you will grow.

Remember this time of pandemic does not make up the sum of your life. But if you use it as a teacher and look at it with a wise perspective, you may see the time as one of the most valuable of your life. The beauty of it lies in the fact that you get to choose.

Destiny Haggett is an advocate for pediatric cancer research, former model, and public speaker. She currently runs a 962-seat live entertainment venue in Coconut Creek, Florida.

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CORAL SPRINGS COMMISSION

Exactly one year ago our lives were dramatically changed as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. It was in March 2020 that we saw our first COVID-19 case confirmed in Florida and declared a State of Emergency for the City of Coral Springs. We quickly shifted our focus to the health, safety, and welfare of the community – especially our most vulnerable citizens. One year later our attention remains on the virus, but our efforts have shifted to the mass distribution of the COVID-19 vaccine.

We are proud to have opened a vaccine distribution site at the Coral Square Mall and implemented a mobile distribution plan to include senior living communities, homebound seniors, and underserved communities. To date we have administered about 31,000 doses. Appointments for COVID- 19 vaccination sites for seniors ages 65 and older, and frontline healthcare workers, are scheduled through the State of Florida website myvaccine.fl.gov or by calling (866) 201-6313, for TTY use (844) 252-2003.

March is Women’s History Month, and in the City of Coral Springs we are excited to celebrate women for their outstanding contributions to our city through the newly launched ‘Her Story’ campaign. We encourage residents and local businesses to nominate inspirational women who are making an impact and influencing others in our city by visiting www.coralsprings.org/herstory.

Looking for a way to serve your community and keep Coral Springs clean? Join us on March 6 for the 44th Annual Broward County Waterway Clean Up. Register online to participate, www.waterwaycleanup.org.

On March 10, the City of Coral Springs will host its third Open Play Chess Session at the Coral Springs Gymnasium from 6 to 8 p.m. Pre-registration is required for participants and spectators. For more information, please visit www.coralsprings.org/events.

We are excited to announce the launch of our city’s newly designed website. The city recognizes coralsprings.org as the digital front door to the services we provide our citizens and businesses. This digital transformation makes it convenient to access City Hall virtually 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

In addition to the newly designed website, we are proud to announce the launch of our official social media accounts! To better serve our community, we are using social media accounts as an added outlet for city business conversations and engagement with residents.

You can follow us on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook! Mayor Scott Brook @CSCommissioner1, Vice Mayor Joshua Simmons @CSCommissioner4, Commissioner Shawn Cerra @CSCommissioner2, Commissioner Nancy Metayer @CSCommissioner3, and Commissioner Joy Carter @CSCommissioner5.

There is a change to our Commission Meeting schedule in March. The meetings will take place on Wednesday, March 3 and Monday, March 15 at 6:30 p.m. You can view our public meetings and provide public comment, visit coralsprings.org/agendas for details.

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Second opinion: Read the Rx label!

I recently was stopped by a couple riding their bicycles in my neighborhood. My reputation as a veterinarian who gives advice hit a fever pitch in my community during the pandemic.

Mr. and Mrs. Snowbird just came back from their home in upstate New York. They, like so many people, adopted a pet during the pandemic and drove their new dog Rascal, a one-year-old Corgi, down last weekend.

Prior to traveling to Florida, they brought Rascal to their veterinarian because they thought he had allergies. Rascal was shaking his head a lot and vocalized when you touched his ear.

The question that they had for me referenced back to their other dog, Ruby, a 14-year-old Schnauzer who had terrible allergies. She constantly licked her paws, scratched all the time, and rubbed her face. I recommended that they talk to their local veterinarian about Apoquel or Cytopoint allergy treatments.

The schnauzer was a happy dog after starting the medication. They were hopeful that Rascal didn’t have allergies because the medication was expensive, but Rascal seemed very uncomfortable.

I asked them about the working diagnosis. They told me that their New York veterinarian thought that Rascal had an ear infection. Two weeks ago, Rascal’s ears were red, inflamed, and painful. The veterinarian took a sample from the ear to look under the microscope and sent it out for culture.

The doctor started Rascal on an ear cleaner and pain medication and told the couple they would start treatment once the culture results came back.

The couple told me the technician at the hospital called and told them that Rascal had a bacterial ear infection and the vet wanted to start him on antibiotics. They also told them to clean his ears once a day and to continue him on the pain medications if he was still uncomfortable.

After two weeks of medication, ear cleaning, and pain medications I told them that Rascal should be feeling and looking better. They said he wasn’t and wanted to know if I could look.

As we walked to their house, Mr. Snowbird said that Rascal is not clinically better. He doesn’t seem to be in as much pain, but the veterinarian said that he would only need the medication for a few days, and he is still on them.

Rascal also hates it when Mr. Snowbird puts the medication in his ear. He mentioned that it seemed kind of cruel to put cold ear medication in an ear but what does he know. I was puzzled because I don’t know any ear medication that needs to be refrigerated, but maybe the medication was compounded specifically for Rascal.

Rascal is a sweet Corgi. He jumped up on me when I entered the house and, true to form, he smelled sour. When I investigated his ear, it was inflamed and sensitive and full of white material.

I was hoping it wasn’t pus. Mrs. Snowbird brought me the medication and it was Clavamox, an amoxicillin product that was meant to be refrigerated and given orally. I asked them if they are giving the medication orally or putting it into the ear.

I have never seen such finger pointing towards each other. Obviously, someone didn’t read the label. Mrs. Snowbird laughed and told me at least I had a funny story to tell people. Little did they know that I write articles.

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Marjory Stoneman Douglas memorial events

February 12
Day of Service and Love 

Only students and staff will be allowed on the grounds. It will be very similar to years past. This year’s seniors were freshmen when the shooting occurred on Valentine’s Day, 2018. There will be community service and campus projects, including campus beautification of Marjory’s Garden at the back of the school. There will also be a first responder’s breakfast.

February 14
Spreading The Love

10 a.m. to 5 p.m, Eagles’ Haven Wellness Center, 5655 Coral Ridge Dr.,Coral Springs.

Events will be outside in the parking lot, socially distanced. Masks are mandatory. Events will be centered on healing and “spreading the love” within the community. There will be arts and crafts, such as rock painting for the MSD Rock Garden, along with therapeutic activities like meditation and yoga. The families and community will have a space for grieving and remembering, with a candle lighting ceremony and benches. All clinicians will be present for individual counseling should the need arise. At the end of the day there will be a healing circle before transitioning to Pine Trails Park where the City of Parkland’s events will take place.

Pine Trails Park, 10555 Trails End, Parkland

The City of Parkland’s planned events will begin at 5:30 p.m. by the amphitheater. Social distancing and masks will be required. In lieu of an in-person service project as part of the Community Commemoration event, the City has collaborated with Food for the Poor on a fundraiser to build a home in an impoverished area of Honduras.

Therapists and the very popular therapy dogs from Canine Assisted Therapy will be available. 17 Memory Boards will be set up for people to write messages, with volunteers standing by to sanitize the permanent markers.

Spiritual Leaders will be taking the stage at 6 p.m., followed by a video presentation that focuses on the memory of the 17 people lost in the tragedy.

Virtual events
Run 4 Beigel – 5k Run/Walk
February 6 – February 14, 2021
https://runsignup.com/Race/FL/Parkland/Run4Beigel

NSU – 3 Years Later #MSDStrong
12 p.m., February 12
https://www.nova.edu/alumni/events/index.html

Make Our Schools Safe – #LIVEFORALYSSA Benefit
7 to 8:30 p.m. February 11
https://makeourschoolssafe.org/2nd-annual-live-for-alyssa-benefit/

Chris Hixon Memorial 5k Run/Walk
February 20, 2021
https://runsignup.com/Race/FL/Hollywood/ChrisHixonMemorialRun

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Hindu Heritage Month

In 2003, the Florida House of Representatives designated February as Hindu Heritage Month to honor the Hindu residents of the state that add to its diversity and help better the state by promoting their cultures and traditions, spreading knowledge and culture. The month was selected more due to the fact that many Hindus worship Goddess Saraswati, the goddess of knowledge, wisdom, and learning, in February.

The Hindu culture is both diverse and rich as Hinduism dates back to the Indus Valley over 4,000 years ago, making it the oldest religion in the world. Hindu Heritage Month gives people an opportunity to learn about and appreciate the Hindu culture. The South Florida Hindu Temple in Southwest Ranches in conjunction with other organizations holds events for the public to learn about myths and misconceptions about the Hindu culture, but also to experience the rich culture. However, temples are not the only place to learn about Hindu heritage, as there are programs, classes, and monuments everywhere.

In Davie, you can find Mahatma Gandhi Square, which features a seven-foot tall bronze statue of the man who helped gain India’s independence. Not only is he known for helping with independence, but Hindus focus more on how he accomplished the goal through nonviolence. Hindus practice ahimsa, non-violence, which Gandhi exemplified in a time of great conflict and struggle.

Throughout South Florida, many cultural programs can be found as well. Bharatnatyam, the oldest classical dance in India, serves as a way for many Hindus to express their devotion to god and to tell
stories of their culture through a beautiful dance form. Kathak
dances originated in North India and are known for their storytelling through rhythmic foot movements. There are many traditional music and dance programs that are offered to the public through the Broward arts council that offer a way to learn about this rich aspect of Hindu heritage.

Besides giving the community a chance to learn about another religion and culture, Hindu Heritage Month is an opportunity for Hindus to celebrate and appreciate their heritage in a society that is continuing to move away from traditions as popular culture grows in influence. February gives Hindus a chance to strengthen their ties to their heritage and culture. Fully immersing themselves in Hindu  traditions and celebrations may help them come to accept themselves and their lifestyle. Normally February holds activities like cultural programs, day of service activities, and a time for reflection and learning. I hope that everyone uses this month to learn and appreciate the lives of others and themselves as this diversity is what makes society better for everyone, giving all the opportunity to learn about the world and everyone that inhabits it.

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Commissioner Michael Udine (3rd District, Broward County)

Broward County is on the move. Investing in the future, creating sustainable job growth, and working with leading stakeholders to create a strong economy will provide opportunity for all. In the past two months, several new companies have announced they will be moving their headquarters here to Broward County. I am excited to work in partnership with the Greater Fort Lauderdale Alliance to attract even more this year and will work tirelessly through all platforms to make sure everyone knows that Broward County is the place to be!

As Vice-Mayor of Broward County one of my top priorities is to encourage investment in the South Florida region by attracting top level tech and financial companies to call our community home. In collaboration with the Mayors of the City of Miami and Fort Lauderdale, I have been meeting with local officials to see how we can work together to bring investment, and good quality jobs, to our community. Creating a tech corridor with a solid foundation, led by our hometown universities like FAU and NSU, will create strong job growth for years to come.

In January I made a site visit to Port Everglades to see firsthand the dock expansion, and the brand-new gantry cranes that will service the supersized Panamax cargo vessels once the projects are complete. These new cranes, which I saw up close and in person (not for those afraid of heights), will increase our port’s economic potential. In addition, the port is working with Florida Department of Environmental Protection to protect and expand the mangrove habitats on site. This will help keep our water and wildlife healthy for future generations. I was honored to meet several District 3 residents who operate these cranes on a daily basis and learn everything that goes into doing their job for Broward County.

Over the past two months, the brand-new Motorola public safety radio system has come online in Broward County. This replacement was necessary to protect Broward County residents in the event of an emergency. From new towers, to new radios, and interoperability with neighboring counties like Palm Beach, we are focused on providing the fastest service when every second counts. I would like to thank the whole team of Broward County Emergency Management, and all stakeholders, for their steadfast support in getting this done.

It is difficult to find the words when I reflect on the three years that have gone by since the tragedy at MSD on February 14th. Our community has been forever changed by that fateful day. We miss those we have lost, continue to heal with those who are hurting, and fight for changes that will make schools safer and prioritize mental health. To all members of our community: the anniversary of this day will never get easier, but we will get through it together.

My staff and I have made staying connected with the residents of District 3 a top priority. We have been available by phone, answering questions by email, and getting out the most up-to-date and accurate information available. I can be reached as always at MUdine@ Broward.org or at my office at (954) 357-7003.

Follow me on social media @CommissionerMichaelUdine on Facebook and @MichaelUdine on Twitter or Instagram to receive important updates and see what is happening in our community. I look forward to connecting with you.

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Parkland Mayor Rich Walker

In February we honor Black History all month long. We also honor President’s Day and Valentine’s Day. Sadly, in our community this will also be a reminder of the horrific tragedy that took place. On Sunday, February 14, we will commemorate the third anniversary of the shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in a  ceremony at Pine Trails Park. As we come together to remember those we lost, it is yet another example of Parkland families and the larger community uniting when it matters most.

We have seen many examples of this in recent years in an attempt to effect positive change. And, of course, our community is forever grateful for the strength that our families continue to demonstrate as they work toward safer schools and safer communities—not just here, but nationwide.

Mental wellness continues to be a vital focal point for our residents as we all continue to work through everything we have endured. We have many partners locally who can assist such as Broward  Children’s Bereavement Center, and Eagles’ Haven.

Visit cityofparkland.org/MentalWellness for more resources and let’s continue to take care of one another. We cannot afford to overlook the greatest resource we have—one another.

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Broward’s ‘Hidden Heroes’ honored

Women from Parkland and Coral Springs were among a dozen Broward County residents recently honored as “Hidden Heroes,” by the Community Foundation of Broward.

These “Broward Nonprofit Hidden Heroes” were selected for helping their organizations to continue to provide valuable services to their clients and the community during the pandemic.

Tina Cortez, of Coral Springs, was honored for her work as Director of the Wildlife Hospital at the Sawgrass Nature Center & Wildlife Hospital, which also is in Coral Springs.

“Tina’s dedication to the animals is evident by the exceptional wildlife care and rehabilitation she provides,” said Robin Reccasina, CEO of the wildlife hospital.

“Tina designed a contactless drop off for the public to drop off injured animals at our gate and responded to every drop off herself. Having no volunteers, she quickly cross-trained other staff to assist in animal care. She transferred many of the animals that were most critical to her home so she could give them 24-hour care.”

Samantha “Sam” Kelly, of Parkland, was honored for her work as Vice President of Rehabilitation Programs at Lighthouse of Broward for the Blind & Visually Impaired in Fort Lauderdale.

“Sam provided vision and leadership,” said Ellyn Drotzer, CEO of Lighthouse. “We knew we had to pivot to an online platform, but our clients’ fundamental lack of sight made this seem almost impossible. Sam led the creative plan to provide uninterrupted rehabilitative services. We closed the building on Friday and by Monday, all of our programming was transformed into an electronic format and services were constructed using a web-based platform.”

Cortez and Kelly and their organizations are featured in a virtual awards presentation video via YouTube here:

 

Other Broward Nonprofit Hidden Heroes are:
–Timothy Curtin, Executive Director of
Community Services, Memorial Healthcare System, Hollywood

–Rebecca “Becky” Gould, STEM Center for Education and Career Development Manager, Museum of Discovery & Science, Fort Lauderdale

–Tammy Holder, Teaching Artist-in-Residence, Broward Performing Arts Foundation, Fort Lauderdale

–Xenia McFarling, Vice President of Rehabilitation Programs, LifeNet4Families, Fort Lauderdale

–Natasha McFarquhar, Emergency Basic Needs Navigator, Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies Coalition of Broward County, Lauderhill

–Alex Nesar, Director of Construction, Habitat for Humanity of Broward, Fort Lauderdale

–Belinda Paulicin, Director of Program Services, Gilda’s Club of South Florida, Fort Lauderdale

–Sandra Powell, Regional Laboratory Manager, Broward Health, Fort Lauderdale

–Patricia “Pejay” Ryan, Director of Marketing, Broward Education Foundation, Fort Lauderdale

–Elise Samet, Volunteer Program Manager, Canine Assisted Therapy, Oakland Park

Each of the winners received a $500 award and a prize package that included a 2-night staycation at the Bahia Mar Fort Lauderdale Beach Hotel and gift certificates from multiple restaurants. In addition, each of their nonprofit organizations received a monetary award of up to $25,000. For more information, visit www.cfbroward.link/HiddenHeroes.

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Van carries free legal aid to Broward seniors

Like the Mystery Machine on Scooby Doo or Bruce Wayne’s famous Batmobile, a new rolling problem solver is bringing free legal aid to Broward County seniors.

Coast to Coast Legal Aid of South Florida has launched the Mobile Justice Squad, a mobile division of its high quality free civil legal services.

The squad will provide legal services for homebound seniors or those seniors with limited mobility. Legal services offered through the MobileJustice Squad include but are not limited to health and public benefits, housing and foreclosure defense, domestic violence and financial exploitation, consumer fraud, and naturalization.

“With the Mobile Justice Squad, we are bringing our resources and services out on the road to the most vulnerable,” said Patrice Paldino, Executive Director of Coast to Coast Legal Aid of South Florida. “This initiative is an integral part of what we can do to continue our mission to provide high quality free civil legal advice, representation, and education to those who need it.”

Alterations to the van have been made in response to COVID-19 to allow social distancing through a plexiglass shield. Attorneys will be able to screen clients, review legal issues, prepare, scan, and copy documents all in one visit, eliminating the need for clients to travel to the office or send documents through the mail.

To obtain access to the Mobile Justice Squad, individuals or community organizations should call 954-736-2400. Eligible senior citizens (60+ years old) can make an appointment and the Mobile Justice Squad will then arrive at their location.

Funding for this innovative project was generously provided by the American Bar Endowment and The Jim Moran Foundation.

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‘It takes a village’

“It takes a village” is an African proverb that means that an entire community of people must interact with children for them to experience and grow in a safe and healthy environment.

Many of us have commented in jest to our friends, “it takes a village” when trying to corral an unruly child at a birthday party or playdate. As we are having a difficult time, we lean on our friends to ease the burden.

This phrase is commonly spoken in the context of the parent’s point of view.

What about the child’s point of view?

Shouldn’t all children have the benefit of a village to experience life and grow in a safe and healthy environment?

What if the child does not grow up with parents, let alone an entire village? What if, instead of birthday parties and playdates, a child is forced to sleep on distant relatives’ couches, or worse, in a homeless shelter?

This is the life of many foster children, right in our back yard.

It is unfair and sad that so many children grow up bouncing around between group homes or private homes of “foster parents” because of their parental neglect, abuse, or drug use.

Not many people are willing to help even one foster child, let alone hundreds of foster children that need not only the essentials (shelter and food), but positivity, support, and guidance to become successful members of society.

In part, because of one woman’s time and dedication, foster children in Broward County have a village to call their own.

Jillian Smath is the CEO of SOS Children’s Villages, a residential foster care community in Coconut Creek. SOS has 15 buildings around a cul-de-sac – 13 foster homes, a community center, and an administrative office. The 13 homes foster approximately 60 children at any given time.

Jillian lives in Parkland with her husband, Lee, and daughters, Emily, 16 and Marlee, 14.

Before being promoted to CEO in 2015, Jillian started at SOS in 1997 as a case manager. Jillian learned about SOS while working for the Department of Children and Families (“DCF”).

While at DCF, Jillian remembers having a little girl on her caseload who was bouncing from foster home to foster home as nobody wanted to keep her for any extended period. She was a very outspoken and spirited little girl, which presented a challenge for many foster parents.

One of Jillian’s coworkers told her about SOS and she made the referral. Jillian brought her out to SOS for an interview and immediately fell in love with what she saw. She placed this little girl in March of 1997 and then read the classifieds every day in hopes that a job opportunity would open. A few months later a position became available.

“The little girl is now 34,” Jillian says proudly, “a mom and a part of my life – she calls me her godmother.”

Over the past 23 years Jillian’s efforts securing donations and grants and overseeing the foster parents have transformed SOS into one of the largest foster care villages in the state.

Jillian has met every child that ever lived at SOS, approximately 800 children. She has seen the impact SOS has made on these children as many of them go on to college or a trade school and stay in Broward County. Without SOS, these children would not have been given the opportunity to succeed. Their success makes our entire community stronger.

Jillian remains in touch with most of “her children” – many of whom now have families of their own. Her children continuously remind her that they owe their success to SOS.

The holidays are special times for families. Jillian is helping create a village for those who would be alone.

To learn more about SOS Broward or how you can donate, please visit www.sosflorida.com.

Philip Snyder, Esq. is a partner at Lyons and Snyder, a Plantation law firm specializing in personal injury.

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Parkland Mayor Rich Walker

As we turn the calendar page on another year, one thing that we
can all agree on is that 2020 was indeed memorable in an unprecedented manner.

Adversity unveils a myriad of character traits, one of which remains constant within our community: Resiliency.

This current global pandemic has exemplified the continuous strength and neighborly unification that we should pride ourselves on. In Parkland, we truly embrace and care for one another. I have witnessed it first hand — neighbors helping others via food collections, blood drives, backpack, holiday events, and many unique volunteer efforts.

We have postponed and canceled events when our hearts were set upon them, as this was best for our community.

Activities that we continue to conduct have often been dramatically adjusted to accommodate the unique time in which we are living. It has not been easy, but our community has once again risen to the occasion.

I have lived in Parkland for some time now and this is not necessarily new information to me, but it is always nice to have a reminder of how incredibly special our city is.

Of course, we must stay the course and continue to follow the guidelines of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, but I am proud of our community for acting responsibly in a time of uncertainty.

So, with the holidays behind us, as we begin anew in 2021, perhaps the task of flipping the calendar page to another year can be as much a symbolic gesture in our lives as it is a monthly habitual task we carry out on the calendars in our homes.

This can be, not just a time of new year’s resolutions, but a time of renewed enthusiasm to continue to act responsibly and do our part to contribute to a return to normalcy.

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SoFlo Gardening: January 2021

What to Plant

Annuals/Bedding plants: Plants that can be added to the garden during the coolest months include begonia, browallia, lobelia, dianthus, dusty miller, and nicotiana.

Bulbs: Winter is a great time to plant bulbs that will bloom in the spring. Some examples include Clivia lily, crinum, and agapanthus.

Herbs: Many herbs will thrive now that temperatures are cooler, including tarragon, thyme, dill, fennel, and any of the mints.

Vegetables: Many vegetables can be planted this time of year. This is the last month to plant Irish potatoes, beets, broccoli, brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, collards, kale, mustard, and turnips.

What to Do

Landscape: It is a good time to plant woody shrubs. Water frequently to get new plantings off to a good start.

Irrigation: Water plants if temperatures remain higher than normal and rainfall is scarce.

Shrubs and trees: Prune non-spring flowering shrubs and trees this month to improve form.

Arbor Day: Celebrate Florida Arbor Day (the 3rd Friday of January) by planting a tree in your yard or community.

Crapemyrtle: Remove seed pods, crossing branches, and small twiggy growth to improve the plant’s appearance and form, if desired. Hard pruning is not required.

Cold protection: Bring sensitive plants like orchids inside if a frost or freeze is predicted. Thoroughly water and cover sensitive plants in the landscape 12–24 hours before a freeze.

Pests: Apply horticultural oil to citrus, shrubs, and deciduous fruit trees while plants are dormant to control scale. Apply copper spray to mangos after bloom.

Source: University of Florida IFAS Extension

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