Parkland Mayor, Rich Walker
The start of a new year carries with it promise of good things and new beginnings. But as you turn the page of your calendar, my hope for you is more than just a New Year’s resolution that may or may not be forgotten by March.
My wife Catherine and I have five beautiful children and raising them, more than anything else we will ever do, will be our imprint on the world. No matter how long I serve as Mayor or the successes Catherine and I achieve, raising our children will be our legacy. And while from time-to-time I may confuse their names, one thing my kids never let me forget is that they are always listening.
There are plenty of teaching moments when we focus on providing a lesson to our children and we make sure they are listening, but I always find it interesting when one of them repeats something that Catherine or I have said when we didn’t know they were listening. And now we realize they’re always listening—which means we are always teaching.
Children hear your grumbling under your breath when someone leaves the room. They hear your narrative about the homeless person holding a cardboard sign. Whether it’s a driver who accidentally cut you off, a waitress who made a mistake, or a neighbor asking for a favor that you don’t want to do, your kids hear it all. They even hear your silence on issues that deserve comment.
This underscores the importance of setting the right example, being kind, being compassionate and understanding, trying to say the right thing, and being the person you want your children to grow up to be. That’s a tall order, but that’s what we signed on for. It’s also likely to be the most rewarding thing parents ever experience. That proud moment when you see your child has developed into an adult, the next generation being an improvement on the last.
But it’s vital we remember parenting isn’t an ala carte proposition—do as I say not as I do—it’s a full-time job because someone is always listening.
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Coral Springs Mayor, Scott Brook –
I am honored to be able to have this opportunity from Spectator to wish you a Loving and Warm New Year! We have so much to be grateful for in Coral Springs! From our own families to the beauty of our City and Parks. From our Sports programs to our array of restaurants that we get to enjoy. As the Mayor of Coral Springs, I would like to share some things I am grateful for: You, my family, God, our public safety, our Code Enforcement, our volunteers and so much more!
While there are challenges in our lives and our World, we live in an amazing country and community! IN the new year, you will see more progress with our Downtown Redevelopment, many more great City events and a continued commitment to excellence. You may recall that we were the first City in the nation in 2007 to win the coveted Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award for performance excellence. We are on the Excellence Journey again this year and kicking off later in January with a Visioning Summit. For more information about this event and others, look at our website at Coralsprings.org/Events or just text me at 954-494-9872.
I would like to share a few ideas I have to achieve fulfillment in the NEW YEAR:
1. Share Grace – with others and yourself – we are all human and imperfect
2. Force Nothing
3. If you are finding yourself stuck in the past, declare your past complete
4. Forgive
5. If you have lost a loved one, allow yourself to grieve
6. KNOW that you are unique
7. Focus on Solutions, not the problems
8. Look for the 5 year old in those you love
9. Be more curious than you are critical
I feel blessed every day to live in our Community. From the bottom of my heart, I hope that 2024 brings you and your families peace, love and joy!
