Good News - October 2020

This month Good NewsWants to Know... Excluding holiday traditions, what is the most memorable activity you did with your family as a child? I grew up in a family that valued fam- ily dinner. We turned off Walter Cronkite and tuned into each other. My favorite family dinner was the one where I found out I was going to be a big sister. Laura C. Bishop, Executive Vice President of Advancement, Palm Beach Atlantic University This question was tough because I feel like my parents had a lot of ‘tra- ditions” that had a significant impact on my life. I’m really grateful for how intentional they were over the years. Two that come to mind are going to Christian Summer camp each year as a family. It was the highlight of the year as kids. And, weekly one-on-one time with my Dad where he would ask us if there was 1) anything he had promised us that he hadn’t done and 2) if there was anything he should stop/start doing to be a better Dad. Amanda Forman, Change Management Consultant, Cognizant Some of my greatest memories from childhood involve dancing. My cousin Nicky was a DJ, so after our big Italian family dinners everyone (parents, siblings, aunts, uncles, and cousins) would get up to dance. We all learned how to lead or follow no matter the dance flavor, Latin salsa or disco-style hustle! Dr. Andrea Hazim, President and Founder, Elev8Life Educational Foundation From my early days, I remember when my Dad would take us on his business trip to St. Petersburg during the summer. We lived in Jacksonville and he would drive down to St. Petersburg for the week. While he worked with his offices in Tampa and St. Petersburg, my mom and I would spend time at the motel pool located directly on the beach. I can remember the joy of diving off the diving board and swimming all day. She would make lunch for me and then back in the pool for the afternoon. As the sunset, the pool lights would come on and the pool would come alive. Both my parents were sitting on the lounges watching my dive and swim. Later, we would grab a flashlight and chase the sand crabs down the beach. I can remember a seafood dinner and then sleeping to the sound of the waves lapping on the beach. As I think back on these days, I’m reminded to try and make memories with my kids and grandkids that will last a lifetime. Andy Mitchell, CEO, The Fairwinds Group and President, Operation Lift Hope While my parents themselves did not grow up experiencing the outdoors, my dad bought a small wooden boat (that leaked) and a tent, and we began the adventure of camping. These were inexpensive, special times that drew our family close to- gether. We experienced blessings and worked through challenges ultimately camp- ing our way from Ohio to California and back the summer of my senior year of high school. William “Bill” C. Davell, Director, Tripp Scott Attorneys at Law Every Friday at the Denison household was game night. We all took turns picking a game. Scattegories, Pictionary, Scrabble were the favorites. Some of us were ‘cre- ative’ with the rules. My little brother called it cheating. I called it winning. Bob Denison, President, Denison Yachting In my early years in the 70’s, we lived in Miami and would spend many weekends on our boat moored in Biscayne Bay. The adventures, sleeping aboard, swimming, snorkeling, BBQ and family-time have together made these some of my greatest childhood memories. We enjoy similar outings together with our children as well. Charles L. Bender III, Founding CEO and Board Member, Place of Hope The most memorable activity that I did as a child was visiting our beautiful Broward County beaches…specifically Lauderdale by the Sea. I had a great childhood with my mother, brother and cousins, as well as visiting family members when they es- caped the brutal winters in Massachusetts. We surfed, played, built sandcastles and took turns burying each other in the very sand that I nowwork to replenish throughout our beautiful beaches. It’s a small world and I love living where I grew up. Chip LaMarca, State Representative, Florida House District 93 Each summer we would drive to upstate New York from South Florida to work on my Grandfathers Farm. It was a long 2-day drive, but we always stopped along the way at the same places. When we arrived we worked the farm along with the rest of our family (cousins, aunts, and uncles). It was hard work but we have some great memories and stories to tell. It was pretty cool to learn how to drive tractors, bail hay, harvest corn and experience a different way of life. Each Friday night the local church had an ice cream social and everyone in town made homemade ice cream. Those were some special days. Chris Lane, Executive Director, First Priority of South Florida The most memorable thing my family did when I was a child was take an extended trip to the South Pacific and the Orient. We spent two months in Fiji, New Zealand, Australia, Singapore, Thailand, Hong Kong, Taiwan and Hawaii. That’s when I got bit by the travel bug, and with 63 countries under my belt, I continue to enjoy travelling with my wife and kids. H. Collins Forman, Jr., P.A. My parents were officers (ministers) in The SalvationArmy, and one of their respon- sibilities for most of my growing up years was to run the summer camps for youth in several different states. So I spent many summers living at camp and doing all the camp stuff. Loved it!! Major Connie Long, The Salvation Army The most memorable activity we did as a family when I was a child was spending time in southwest Colorado. It started for me in 4th grade and lasted for just over 50 years, extending to the next generation of kids. From skiing in the winters, to rafting, hiking and extreme four-wheeling in the summers, we created a lot of wonderful memories for our friends and family. Craig Huston, Huston Consulting Group, LLC The most memorable thing I did with my family revolved around a large, spring-fed lake that the seventy families in our neighborhood shared. Because of the swimming competitions, boating, ice skating and clambakes, we made a lot of great memories with our community there. Deborah Cusick, FAU Campus Volunteer, Intervarsity Christian Fellowship William “Bill” C. Davell Bob Denison Charles L. Bender Amanda Forman Andrea Hazim Andy Mitchell Wants to Know… Laura C. Bishop