GoodNews Florida

One of my best memories of Christmas are when my family and I were sitting in the balcony in my church (Christ Church UM) and singing “Silent Night” with the lights dimmed and the candles held up throughout the congregation at the midnight service! Definitely a “thin spot” for me. A time when I was a little closer to God! -Fred Scarbrough, DVM, Founder, Scarbrough Animal Hospital and Hope South Florida Christmas has always been a special time growing up in the Caribbean as a child. It was always filled with lots of laughter with family and my mom baking goodies (tarts) in the kitchen. It was never about how many gifts were under the tree; instead it was about sharing, loving and spending time. Oh how I miss those days..... -Germaine Smith Baugh , Ed.D, President and CEO, Urban League of Broward County My grown children always bring up how their mom would read Mary's Dream (about the true meaning of celebrating Christmas) every year and cry. They would say "not again" and now they read it to their children. Merry Christmas and Happy Birthday, Jesus! -Gita Santangelo , Community Prayer Leader My most meaningful Christmas memory was the Christmas of 1973. I began Christmas Eve in London, England and concluded it in New York City. On Christ- mas Day, I was discharged from the United States Air Force. Upon my arrival at Philadelphia International Airport for my flight home, as I was boarding my flight to Minneapolis, I recognized the voice of the flight attendant who asked to see my boarding pass. As fate would have it, she was a dear friend of mine, who lived two blocks away from my family home, and who had graduated from high school with me. I immediately proceeded to pick her up, and to carry her to the back of the airplane. Thankfully, I was not arrested, and thrown off the flight! Those were the days! -Gregg Sjoquist, President/CEO, The Wasie Foundation “My most meaningful Christmas memory is the tradition of loading all of the kids into a 1938 antique fire truck to buy our Christmas tree and come home and dec- orate it.” -Gregg Wallick, President/CEO, Best Roofing “I spent one Christmas while our submarine was on deployment in the town of Bremerhaven, Germany. Several of us had unwisely refused the offer of our host nation to participate in a dinner with a local family and we ended up wan- dering the streets and having Christmas dinner at a gas station convenience store in freezing temperatures. That memory continues to make me appreciate being home for Christmas even as we thank God for the sacrifices of our men and women who can’t be home this year to celebrate our Savior’s birth with their families.” -Representative George Moraitis, Florida House of Representatives, District 93 I was about 10 years old and I finally got my first bicycle. My mother, who never rode a bicycle in her life, did not want me to get one. Somehow after years of pleading, I convinced my father to get me one. Well, I had many accidents but to this date 50+ years later I love riding my bike. -Ileana M. Gil , Chief Operating Officer, Trinity International University “One of the most memorable Christmas I ever had was the first one I spent in a tiny town Three Hills in Alberta (Canada). As a young boy seeing snow for the first time during the Holidays made me feel like I was in one of the Christmas movies I used to watch on TV when I still lived in Colombia. There’s just some- thing so special about a white Christmas!” - John Novoa, Financial Associate, Thrivent Financial® Watching my kids open presents. -Miguel J. Rodriguez, CPA, PFS, Managing Partner, Rodriguez, Kinzbrunner & Company, LLP The Christmas I remember as my favorite Christmas was the year I was 16. I had my first job at a clothing store and I earned enough money to buy presents - nice presents - for my mom, my dad, and my brother. That is the year I learned about the joy there is in generosity and experienced the true meaning of "it is more blessed to give than to receive." -Nancy McDonald, President/CEO, Hope Women’s Centers Due to my advanced age, my memory serves me wrong and can only remem- ber last year's Christmas, my most memorable. Last year's celebration is em- bedded in my heart....that Jesus was God made in one person so that I may have eternal communion with the Creator. A perpetual memory.......the GIFT that keeps on giving. -Omar Aleman, Owner, Aleman & Associates Pastor Daryl Nelson Deborah Cusick Dolores King-St. George Don Campion Pastor Doug Sauder Fred Scarbrough Germaine Smith Baugh Gita Santangelo Gregg Sjoquist Gregg Wallick George Moraitis Ileana M. Gil John Novoa Miguel J. Rodriguez Nancy McDonald Omar Aleman Rob Hoskins Samuel Lamerson