Coffee Hour with BEAT

Never bet against America.

Several times in recent history I have heard quite a few people from other parts of the globe say that they have been convinced that after a period of political divide and pandemic that the ‘American Dream’ is no longer achievable.

However, it is my belief that America has always and continues to have the ability to come back from adversity by changing course and then being able to prosper again. One does not have to be a historian to see how many times the United States has came back from disaster. I imagine England felt that America had lost all power after the civil war. And again, after the great depression in the 1930’s, others talked about the end of United States economic power. And yet again after the global financial crisis in 2008 the end of the US capitalist system was declared. All of those predictions were wrong.

There is no question that the past year has been filled with hardships from our health to the economy and everything in between. While travelling to Europe last year, I was on flights that were more than 90% empty. On a few of those flights, with a capacity well over 300 passengers, I was amongst just a handful of regular travelers. At one point I arrived in Zurich, Switzerland where all the stores, restaurants and offices were closed, and I walked through the airport without seeing one other person.

We are blessed to live in Florida, where even during the Pandemic, family barbecues, going to the beach and many more outdoor activities were possible. And while following the rules and recommendations outlined by the CDC and government, Avalon Park Group was fortunate to be able to keep our business activities in full swing. In fact, many at APG have expressed that we never worked as hard as we have during the past year of the pandemic. Now, with much of the population vaccinated, we are starting to see a shift back to normalcy for much

of the rest of the country and the world. And just in time to enjoy the summer months. The airports in the US are starting to be full again, with planes packed to the last seat with business and personal travelers. The theme parks and other Florida attractions are getting busier by the day. It is also great to get back to the gym and see friends and neighbors at local stores and restaurants. All of these are great for Floridians, great for the economy, and great for America.

While we were not able to celebrate the 4th of July together last year as a country or a community, I am happy to say that we will be able to do so this year! As we continue to overcome the challenges presented by Covid-19, we can start getting back in the community. I remain proud to live in this free and great country.

As we move into the summer months, I wanted to provide a brief update as it relates to our work and commitment in the Bithlo community.

1.We have committed to order and pay for the needed sewer system investments for Transformation Village.

2. We will continue to assist Pastor Dale provide quality nutrition opportunities in Bithlo through community dinners and any other means to ensure that no child goes to bed hungry. WE will pay for food and help with associated logistics, including new infrastructure.

3. We will help United Global Outreach “UGO” in the planning, design and building at our cost a minimum of 10 small homes to ensure that safe, quality affordable housing is available in Bithlo.

We continue to work with Tim and the UGO team on the logistics of meeting these commitments. I have been continuously encouraged by the great work from the community, like the Rotary Club of Avalon Park and their work at Transformation Village! Additionally, I was pleased to see many local vendors were also able to participate in the monthly Freedom Market this month.

Again, we encourage you to get involved and to reach out to Tim McKinney at 407-810-2214, Dale Brooks at 407-497-8545 or myself at 407-658-6565 for any additional ways to get involved.

Have a great summer!