Page 13 - Palm City Spotlight - May '24
P. 13

Palm City Spotlight, Page 13


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         MAY 2024                                            PAlM CitY CoMMunitY Center, 2701 S.W. Cornell Ave., PAlM CitY
                                                                              Phone: (772) 286-8121 FAx: (772) 286-3331
                                                                                  WWW.PAlMCitYChAMber.CoM


      President’s Message




        May for the Palm City Chamber of Commerce always                          YMCA, and the neighbor to the Palm City Chamber office, Treasure Coast Rowing Club.
      starts  with  our  Cinco  de  Mayo  themed Annual  Golf                       Finally, with summer right around the corner, the Palm City Chamber is eagerly awaiting
      Tournament at Piper’s Landing Yacht and Country Club. This                  the opening of The Patio at Palm City Place. Stay tuned to the Chamber’s event page or
      year marks our 29th Tournament! It’s hard to believe that                   sign up for our weekly newsletters, so you don’t miss the chance to participate in the ribbon
      we are in May already, though. This month is traditionally                  cutting and grand opening. I believe this addition to Mapp Road will dramatically enhance
      a month of transition for most folks. The full backs or half                our downtown feel. There are already many rumors about new restaurants and shops coming
      backs are shuttering up and heading back to their cooler                    because of all the work done all along the Mapp Road corridor.
      summer (hurricane free) home. The kids are excited to be
      ending their school year and heading into the freedom of                                                                David L Bradford Jr, CFP , CEPA ®
                                                                                                                                                  ®
      summer. Then, there’s the parents of those children who are                                                     President, Palm City Chamber of Commerce
      likely feeling a different emotion as they scramble to enlist                                                           Financial Advisor – Edward Jones
      their children in some summer camps, while not trying to
      spend thousands of dollars in the process. As a family with four children, (ranging from
      4 to 12 years of age), we have an additional challenge of also balancing to not have four
      different drop-offs at all corners of the county. If you happen to share these same feelings
      and challenges, I’d encourage you to seek out some of our Chamber members who provide
      excellent and engaging camps throughout the summer. Here are a few to help narrow your
      search: Boys & Girls Club of Martin County, PAL (Police Athletic League), Project Lift,
      executive Director’s Corner




        Saturday, April 6 was the 50th flight for our local Southeast
      Florida Honor Flight. This was my fourth trip and each
      one has been special in its own way. The day is totally and
      completely focused on celebrating our heroes and treating
      them to a day of honor and respect.
        My veteran this time was Dave Young. Dave is a local
      photographer and owns Dave’s Airport Shuttle Service.
      Dave served in the Army during the Vietnam War and was
      stationed in Thailand. He registered for the Army and was
      very fortunate with his deployment.
        Traveling to Washington, D.C., for the day is exhausting and exhilarating at the same
      time. We left Stuart at 3:30 a.m. and returned about 10 p.m. The buses were escorted to Palm
      Beach International by the Martin County Sheriff’s Department and a motorcycle brigade.
        The veterans are treated to a well-deserved water cannon salute at PBIA and Reagan
      International Airport. The welcome to Reagan included music, signs, and a large crowd.   Southeast Florida Honor Flight 2024
        We proceeded to go to Arlington National Cemetery for the
      changing of the guard ceremony. It is always a very moving
      and dignified ceremony. We caught a few cherry blossoms                         2024 Palm City Chamber of
      still on the trees. Then we were off to lunch.
        After  lunch,  we  went  by  the  Iwo  Jima  Memorial                       Commerce board of Directors
      and headed to the World War II Memorial, Washington
      Monument, the Vietnam Memorial, Korean War Memorial,
      and the Lincoln Memorial. We walked along the reflection                      President        David Bradford            Edward Jones
      pond from WWII to Lincoln.                                                    President Elect   Peter Sicoli             Sailfish Insurance
        As we walked, I was able to watch the crowd as they
      noticed all the people in red hats signifying Honor Flight.                   Vice President   Meghan Shirey             Boys & Girls Club of Martin County
      Their reactions were heartwarming. Strangers would stop                       Treasurer        Rebecca Beckett           HJ Sims
      to shake the hand of a veteran and say, “Thank you for your
      service.” The biggest impression made to me was when                          Past President   Don Pipes                 Sunshine Land Design
      people were thoughtful enough to say, “Welcome home,”  Vietnam War Veteran Dave   Director     Christina Franco          Hampton by Hilton
      to the Vietnam vets because they did not receive that when  Young and Missi Campbell,   Director   Tyson Waters          Fox McCluskey Bush & Robison
      they returned.                                    Palm City Chamber Executive
        On my first Honor Flight, I was lucky enough to meet  Director              Director         Carolyn Leibowitz         Cruise Planners
      Senator Bob Dole. My veteran that time was Seymour                            Director         Shaun Plymale             Treasure Coast Legal
      Hoffman, and he is a World War II veteran. He is now 102 and I adore him.
        As I pushed Mr. Hoffman in a wheelchair by the Vietnam Wall, a young man with rainbow   Director   Mike Gonzalez       Blue Stream Fiber
      colored hair walked by. Mr. Hoffman asked me why he did that to his hair. I said it was his   Director   Rob McLaughlin         Access 365 Urgent Care
      own personal freedom to do what he wanted to do to his hair. A few minutes later, we were
      in front of the Korean War Memorial and the same young man was walking toward us. He   Director   Patrick Gleason         State Insurance
      stopped and bent down to shake Mr. Hoffman’s hand. Then he said, “Thank you for your   Director   Steve Klaassen         Colorado Pawn & Jewelry
      service. Because of men like you, I can be who I am today.” It was one of the most beautiful   Director   Amanda Foster       Zarro Mortgage
      moments of my life and I will never forget it.
                                                                                    Director         Chris Coller              Twinkles

                                                                                    Director         Daniel Wade               Century 21 Move with Us
                                                                  Missi Campbell
                                                                Executive Director  Director         James FitzGerald          Mattamy Homes
                                                    Palm City Chamber of Commerce   Ex-Officio       Toby Overdorf              State Representative
                                                                                    Ex-Officio       Ed Ciampi                 Martin County Commission
                                                                                    Ex-Officio       Michael DiTerlizzi         Martin County School Board
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