In my early teens, I was an active member of the Boy Scout Troop 162 in Waldo. We were a rather small troop, but we had a great time going on camping trips and doing projects using the basics you learn in Scouts. It was thrilling to be a member of such a great organization that subscribed to the Scout Law: a Scout is Trustworthy, Loyal, Helpful, Friendly, Courteous, Kind, Obedient, Cheerful, Thrifty, Brave, Clean, and Reverent. I learned the Scout Oath by heart: On my honor,

Growing up in Waldo, I had an affinity with sports….particularly football. I loved to watch our high school football team play and, as a kid, dreamed of playing for my small hometown team! The fun, the pageantry, and the camaraderie were all mesmerizing to me. I just knew that when I got to high school, I had to be out there on the gridiron playing football for my hometown school!While I was yet in elementary school, the County School Board decided to take the 9th thru 12th g

Upon entering the 7th grade, I started attending school at P.K. Yonge in Gainesville. The dream my parents had for us to attend a small town school all the way through high school had shattered when the County’s School Board decided to consolidate Waldo’s high school with Gainesville’s high school. The consolidation caused a great amount of overcrowding in the classes which concerned my mother. Mother had heard about P.K. Yonge, which is a developmental research school affili

When I was 9 years old, my parents talked about something I thought we’d never have: a new 1957 Ford Fairlane. The advertising called it, “"A New Kind of Ford for '57…. with the Mark of Tomorrow." I could just imagine it with its futuristic look and that new car smell! After my dad went to the dealerships in Gainesville and Starke he discovered it was just out of our price range. My dad paid cash for everything so getting a loan was out of the question. In looking back