Good News - March 2021

Who ever heard of National Proposal Day? ...so long ago and I'm divorced, but this is how I remember it went. As high school sweethearts,(Homecoming Queen/ Football Captain), we were best friends. At around 25 years old, his mom had given him his grandmother's wedding ring and my parents had given me my grandmother's wedding ring. I guess they were trying to encourage us and to give their blessing. We were in the Sierra mountains in California when we just decided that it was time. We designed an engagement ring to accommodate both diamonds and married at the Mission in Carmel. DeborahCusick , FAUCampus Volunteer, Intervarsity Christian Fellowship I proposed to my wife in our home church, where she was once on the cradle role, baptized, etc. It was a real sweet moment as the pastor let me walk into Sun- day Morning Service with about 20 of her closest friends and sisters. We inter- rupted the service before the choir special was about to be sung. My wife was in the choir on the stage. I proposed on one knee in front of everyone, and then the choir held up cue cards that spelled our “yes, yes” just like we were at a football game. I set it up in advance by getting her college friends to come in town. We hid in the foyer (lobby) until pastor was ready for us, and the choir was in on it too with their cue cards hidden in the back row. First Baptist Church of Lake Worth, FL.” Dennis DeMarois , Executive Director/CEO, Gathering Palm Beach County My wife’s family lives in Florida and mine in Canada, and since we do not spend as much time with my side of the family I wanted to include them on that exciting day. We traveled to Canada for Christmas, and as the entire family gath- ered to open gifts, I announced that I had an important question – will you marry me? Sure glad she said YES! Don Campion , President, Banyan Air Service, Inc. 28 years ago I proposed with a line from one of my wife's favorite stories The Little Prince. "I happen to know a unique flower, one that exists nowhere in the world except on my planet... If someone loves a flower of which just one example exists among all the millions and millions... that's enough to make him happy" She said YES! And she's still the singular flower that fills my life with joy! Doug Sauder , Pastor, Calvary Chapel Fort Lauderdale Will you promise not to tell my wife that I don’t recall? We were too young when we married, college drop-outs, living in a Christian commune, no decent jobs. But we had dedicated our lives to Christ and each other, went back to school, started our vocations, had two strong daughters, and have celebrated life together for forty-nine years. The first moment fades from memory, but it’s been fireworks ever since.” Gene L. Green , PhD, Dean, Trinity International University – Florida I would love to tell a romantic story, but when you are blending two families with five children, it becomes more of a negotiation than a proposal. But, it has been the smartest and best negotiation of my life! Gregg Wallick, President, Best Roofing, Inc. I popped the question watching the sunset on Manhattan Beach, CA. I wanted it to feel spontaneous and the day had been perfect for the delivery of one of the most important questions in life… It took Christie by surprise, and she gave me a delighted, “YES!”……6 months later. So much for spontaneity. James ‘JT’Taylor , Managing Director, Head of Automotive, Truist Securities My wedding proposal was out of a fairytale — it happened on Christmas Eve at Edinburgh Castle in Scotland. Laura Bishop, Executive Vice President of Advancement, Palm Beach Atlantic University The proposal isn’t the story in our case, what led to the proposal is. After spying out the pretty girl named Barbara who had moved in next door, and being ruggedly handsome and doggedly persistent as I am known to be, I boldly went into her yard where she was catching some sun and hit her with my smoothest line… “Excuse me miss, can I talk to you about your dog?” Believe it or not, it worked! I asked her out on our first date and the rest is history… 48 years of marriage and counting. It wasn’t until years later that I learned that, after I left that day, she went into her house and told her mother “That’s the man I’m going to marry.” So the proposal was anticlimactic. The fix was already in. God’s plan was at work and we married 5 years later. Michael F McDermott , PA, Seniors Real Estate Specialist, The Keyes Company We were living in the Washington DC area at the time. I made reserva- tions at one of our favorite restaurants. All details were set except for one major detail, the ring. My friend, a jeweler from another state, mailed the ring which of course was late in arriving. Praise God it arrived that afternoon, only 3 hours prior to our dinner date. At the restaurant when dessert arrived, I got on one knee and asked Kelly to marry me. We celebrate 32 years of marriage this year in July! Milan Stefanovic , Chief Operations Officer, Bass Underwriters My husband and I starting dating in October 1988. On Valentine’s Day, 1989 he surprised me by proposing with a beautiful tiffany setting diamond ring, which was followed by a lovely dinner in our favorite Italian restaurant. It was a quiet and intimate proposal. Two months later on, April 22nd, we got married. Oksana Horton , Creative Director, Torch and Trumpet Theatre Company Wants to Know… H. Collins Forman Craig Huston Deborah Cusick Dennis DeMarois Don Campion Doug Sauder Dr. Gene L. Green Gregg Wallick James ‘JT’ Taylor Laura Bishop Michael F McDermott Milan Stefanovic