Good News - June 2021

One of my fondest memories of my dad was when I came home from school on my 5th birthday, and he bought a tent and had it set-up in the back- yard. Of course my intention was to camp in the backyard with my buddies, but once the first sounds of night came, we were too scared and ran back into the house to sleep. Gregg Wallick, President, Best Roofing, Inc. My Dad is a hard worker. He always invited me to be a helper and would model his work ethic. This allowed me to spend quality time with him doing pa- perwork, helping in the garage, taking inventory and more. It would often wrap with a soft drink and hug. My Dad has always been affectionate and encouraging. I am beyond blessed. James Welch, Pastor, First Baptist Fort Lauderdale My father and I used to hold hands and skip when I was little. So when I was older, we would do that in public places (like big parking lots), and my mom would be so embarrassed! He passed just before the pandemic and those memories of him being silly make me smile. Karen Granger, Community Relations Director, 4KIDS Palm Beach County My father passed when I was a young girl. I do remember, however, every weekend he would take me in his lap and read the "funnies" to me (cartoons). These were special times with my dad that I will always treasure. I have three brothers and an identical twin sister, but this was our special time together! Dr. Mary Drabik, President, South Florida Bible College & Theological Seminary My dad was the product of a broken home and was raised by an alcoholic mother. Despite that, he went on to serve in the Navy during WWII, became a career police officer after and, with my mother, raised five kids. Due to his hap- hazard upbringing, he required that we be home for dinner at 6 p.m. every night, whether he was working a shift or not. No excuses. It was a little thing, but he was determined to give his children the stability and discipline he never had grow- ing up. He’s gone now, but the lesson lives on. Thanks, Dad. Mike McDermott, PA, Seniors Real Estate Specialist, The Keyes Company My father was big on celebrating birthdays and holidays. As a young boy, my father always spent the entire Saturday closest to my birthday doing the things I enjoyed doing. In my younger days, it would be something like this: miniature golf, lunch at McDonalds, and then the latest kids movie. As I grew older, it was a real round of golf and a nice meal afterwards, usually prepared by my mother. I am blessed with great childhood memories. Milan Stefanovic, Chief Operations Officer, Bass Underwriters – Plantation My father and I shared a love for ballroom dancing. When I was five years old, my family and I attended an event that had an orchestra and ballroom. As all the adults were gracefully dancing a waltz, my father came up to me and invited me to dance. Rather than have me put my feet on his, we danced just like all the adults as we waltzed across the floor. I’ll never forget looking into his warm brown eyes and his big smile as we stole the show. It was an instant love for dance and a special moment for me and my father that I still treasure. Oksana Horton, Creative Director, Torch and Trumpet Theatre Company My father died from a case of severe appendicitis, which caused his appendix to burst when I was 15 years old. I was the only one of his five children to spend the last few hours with him prior to his death. In the midst of trying my best to comfort him, his last words to me were, “O’Neal, take care of yourself, son.” O’Neal Dozier, Pastor, The Worldwide Christian Center Something special my Dad would do for me and my brothers and sisters (all 11 of us!)...We all had bicycles as kids, and as commonly happens they needed “fixing.” My Dad was quite a handyman, and we could leave our broken bicycle in his workshop and when we returned, somehow “miraculously” it would be fixed!! A lot like my Heavenly Father, when I am willing to give him my “broken parts”— he lovingly takes them and “miraculously” fixes them! Thank you to my Heavenly Father for my Dad!! His name was OLAF—Yes OLAF, like in the movie ‘Frozen .’ Coach Rick Andreassen, Founder/President, SAINTS International Sports Ministry and SAINTS of Florida Homeschool P.E. My dad was not the type of person to “step out of line” on anything he would do or say that was not aligned with mom’s point of view or actions. However, after hours ice cream runs to the Howard Johnson’s Restaurant on the corner of Fed- eral Highway and SE 17th Street in Fort Lauderdale were not out of the question. Most of the time, though, he would bring mom along for her favorite peppermint stick ice cream cone, so he wouldn’t have to ask for forgiveness. Romney C. Rogers, Managing Partner, Rogers, Morris & Ziegler LLP My father was a Baptist minister who was fifty-years old when I was born. His father was forty-nine when my father was born, so I never knew him. My dad James Welch Karen Granger Dr. Mary Drabik Mike McDermott Milan Stefanovic Wants to Know… Don Campion Doug Sauder Fidel Gomez Gene L. Green Gregg Wallick