Jan. 28, 2010
By Karen McEnany-Phillips
January lowers a bittersweet curtain, and we wonder once more how time flies since honestly we weren't having that much fun. At first we thought the month would be defined by the ultra cold weather. Remember the Saturday it didn't get above 39 degrees and we saw snowflakes and slushy messes covering our roofs, windshields and lawns? But January 2010 (and months to come) will be identified forever with one word: Haiti.
The images are incomprehensible and workers and doctors on the ground can barely share their reality with us in measured teaspoonfuls, so bitter is the stench and tragedy of this devastation. If it weren't for the few punctuations of miraculous rescues, we could barely watch from the comfort of our safe homes and full bellies. Nearly 90 flights and more than 60 medical transports as of this writing have arrived at Sanford Orlando International Airport ferrying in nearly 7,500 nationals and foreign nationals. We have grown accustomed to hearing the powerful engines of the military helicopters flying just over our treetops on their approach to the airport. Give what you can to the relief effort and give carefully, understanding that emotional events such as this spawn many scammers with evil intentions. There are certain organizations that will absolutely use your money for the purpose it was given, and they deserve our support and admiration. We can only hope that the karmic forces of the universe will eventually bring a just reckoning to the corrupt government of an already poor country who manages to sing even as it suffers. Congratulations to the many families who have adopted the orphans giving them warmth and security to cling to and a life light-years better than what they would have faced.
Despite the tragedy the world continues to turn and we have much to be grateful for. We wish the best and cross our fingers for the beautiful (inside and out) Rachael Todd, Miss Florida, who is our Oviedo neighbor. She will be competing Saturday evening, Jan. 30 for the Miss America crown and the chance to advance her platform of ending homelessness to a national level. Good luck, Rachael!
Here in Geneva we are looking forward to the 10th Annual Historic Geneva Bus Tour and Pancake Breakfast on Saturday Feb. 6. Call 407 349-9982 and see if there are seats left on the bus. It's a must-do if you've never taken the 90-minute tour before. See and learn about the many historical structures you pass by every day and the multi-cultural history that we are so proud of.
If history isn't your thing or if the seats are sold out come over to the pancake breakfast and hang out with your Geneva neighbors. It's a great time relaxing and embodies the best of our village. The Geneva Museum will also be open for a few hours on Saturday, a fun family experience for everyone.
Two final suggestions for your February to-do list: If you go to the pancake breakfast or go on the bus tour, ask around for folks who have visited and volunteered at the Rural Heritage Center. I talk about the RHC often in this column but learning about it from people who teach, learn, dance and volunteer there will give you a fresh perspective. Events are starting to happen on a regular basis but there is still a lot of work to be done. Literally there is something for everyone, kids, teens, groups, families, Bright Futures recipients and individuals of all skill levels. Web site maintenance, help with the Bijou Theatre, cleaning, construction, organizing a newsletter, cleaning, administrative tasks and teaching art classes are just a few of the needs I know about, and I'm sure there are more. Call or e-mail Christopher Stapleton, ruralheritage@simiosys.com, for more information and even though Saturday mornings have been the designated work time, he will appreciate your hands on whatever timeframe you can give.
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