(386) Area Community Blog

JAZZ AND POLITICS IN DAYTONA BEACH, FLORIDA

Just in case you’re looking for something to do this weekend, a quick reminder from Tom Massfeller noted the Ormond Beach Historical Trust will be hosting the Ormond Jazz Band from 6 to 9 p.m. this Friday night, June 27, and a play about Henry Flagler the evening of Saturday, June 28.

I’ve also attached a flyer for an upcoming Candidates’ Forum hosted by the Halifax Business & Professional Women’s Club at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, July 8^th, in the auditorium of the UCF Daytona Beach campus (DBCC/UCF parking map also attached). Several of our local and state office candidates already have RSVPed for this event. The audience will have the opportunity to ask questions! A presentation on the Equal Rights Amendment will precede the forum at 5 p.m. 

Download candidates_forum_flyer_v2.ppt

Download DBCC_directional_map.pdf

 

Happy Father's Day!!

I just wanted to wish all the Dads out there a very Happy Father’s Day.  We need to thank all of our fathers (and mothers) for bringing us to where we are today. 

Until I was a father myself, I really didn’t realize how special being a parent was.  People can tell you how it is to be a parent and tell you what you will experience when you become a father.  When my daughter was born, my life was changed forever.  I immediately melted and became a more caring and emotional person.  New life is an incredible experience.  There is a special place in my heart for Daddy’s girl. 

And then my son was born.  Dylan is a mini me.  He was riding a little Yamaha at the age of 3, with some influence of his father of course.  I think he was born with a ball in his hand because he can’t seem to stay away from anything or any sport that has a ball; football, baseball, basketball, soccer.  Playing catch with my son reminds me of when I used to play catch with my father or my grandfather.  This hopefully will continue on for generations to come.

It is up to us as parents to help mold our children to be the next leaders of the world.  It will be up to them as it is up to us now to keep our world going.  I think that people don’t pay enough attention to our children.  They don’t know what is wrong or right, we have to teach them.  They don’t know what is healthy or not, we have to teach them.  I think with technology and the open communication we have, people are more connected and working together to make our world a better place.

I want to thank my father and mother for making me who I am.  I hope that I can take what I have learned from my parents and my experiences in life and teach my children to be better and to do more.  Life is a continuous and evolving growth experience.  You never stop learning and you never (literally) stop growing. 

I am going to take the day off to spend some time with my family.  We are going out on a friend’s boat to Disappearing Island in Ponce Inlet to enjoy some fun in the sun.  Have a great Fathers Day!  

It's a good life!

Ian Anderson - The Dream Homes Team

Local Make a Difference Day Activities

So what are you doing this Saturday?  Did you know that this Saturday, October 27th is Make a Difference Day?  What is Make a Difference Day?  USA Weekend Magazine named October 27th as a national community service day.  It is a day that you can do whatever you want to help others.  You never know how you can Make a Difference in someone’s life. 

Our local Kiwanis clubs are sponsoring a Kiwanis’ Kids Safety Fair at the local Wal Mart stores this Saturday from 9:00 am until 1:00 pm.  All activities are free and include: water safety education, child ID fingerprints, home fire safety, gun locks, law enforcement demonstrations, forest fire prevention, community resource information and more.  There will also be clowns and face painting fun for the kids.   We will have the safety fairs at the following Wal Mart locations:

Palm Coast Wal Mart – 174 Cypress Point Pkwy
Ormond Beach Wal Mart – 1521 W. Granada Blvd.
Daytona Beach Wal Mart – 1101 Beville Rd.
New Smyrna Beach Wal Mart – 1998 SR 44
Deland Wal Mart – 1699 N Woodland Blvd.
Deltona Wal Mart – 101 Howland Blvd.

The City of Ormond Beach is also sponsoring a Make a Difference Day Family Festival at the Casements – 25 Riverside Dr in Ormond Beach this Saturday from 10:00 am until 2:00 pm.  This effort is to support Halifax Urban Ministries (HUM) in its efforts to prevent homelessness with a supply and food drive.

They are going to have all sorts of games and activities including a bounce house, balloons, tattoos, goody bags, story time and craft and food and drinks. 

Admission to the family is a donation of non-perishable foods or personal hygiene items.  Cash donations will be accepted and used to purchase additional food and personal hygiene items to support HUM.

Bring your kids out to enjoy the fun and Make a Difference!

We hope to see you there.

It's a good life,

Ian Anderson

Are You Smarter Than a 1st Grader?

With all the talk that our local schools aren't making the grades, I have to challenge that.  My daughter just had a bonus word for her spelling test, supercalifragilisticexpialidocious.  She is in first grade!  There aren't too many people that can say it let alone spell it.  I have to tell you that she spelled it correctly. 

I think that kids today are expected to do so much more.  As technology advances, so do their expectations.  We are able to do so much more in less time with technology.  Children start using computers in school in pre-school sometimes.  I didn't learn how to use a computer until I was in high school.  Children are so much smarter and exposed to so much more than we were in the past. 

There was just an article this week in the News Journal stating that our scores were up in Volusia County.   Read more.....

This has even sparked a new TV show, Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader?  What a great idea for entertainment, demoralize adults in front of millions of people.  I love it!  It is amazing how much you forget when you don't use it. 

Ian Anderson