Honoring Mothers

MAY IS A SPECIAL MONTH as it is the time we honor those that mean more than anything else in our lives — those, of course, would be our mothers.

They give birth to us, nurture us, care for us and love us unconditionally. The bond that exists between mother and child is truly remarkable and lasts throughout an entire lifetime, from infancy through adulthood. In the spirit of Mother’s Day, I want to dedicate this space to my own mother, a person who not only raised me, but also set an example for how to create a meaningful existence in this life by having a positive effect on those around you.

Sharon Glassman is more than my mother, which by itself is a laudable endeavor; she is a person of significance in her community, her state and her country. With all a mother must do to just be a good mother, I find it amazing that person can also find time to embark on projects outside the home that mean so much to so many people. Sharon Glassman has achieved all this and with a demeanor and disposition that I should envy.

Before moving to Ocala in the early 1970s, Sharon worked as a real estate broker in Miami with Royal Palm Beach Sales. After moving to Ocala, she bought then partnered with the University of Florida to grow the second largest pig farm in the state.

Her work has even extended to the state and international levels. Her work with FUN (Friends of the United Nations) held great significance. This was a private company that helped to promote the UN and was integral in helping it re-structure the way it conducted business in the U.S. and abroad.

Her work with education has been a blessing for the students of the state of Florida as well. She served for 10 years as the president of the College of Central Florida Foundation, my mother has been one of the driving forces of this nonprofit organization that has played an enormous role in CF’s prominence in local higher education. Organizing programs that fund student scholarships, endow chairs to support faculty and so much more, she has played a major role in the growth of the Foundation.

Then there’s Bright Futures which my mother played an intricate role in. Bright Futures is closing in on a million scholarships having been offered to students at state institutions of higher learning, easing the enormous costs of college that make it a heavy burden on those who have the credentials but not necessarily the resources.

On top of all that, she is the owner of the Ocala Family Medical Center which is the largest private medical facility in Marion County. After she bought the business in 1993, OFMC grew from a small 4-physician practice into a multi-specialty practice offering primary care, internal medicine, cardiology, endocrinology, dermatology, podiatry, women’s health, physical medicine and rehabilitation, physical therapy and aesthetic services. Today, Sharon Glassman is still owner and president of OFMC.

It’s quite an extensive resume and she is quite the impressive person. On top of all she has achieved, she has also been a great mother, something that stands above all.

I want to count my blessings for having such a great mother, and for the two mothers of my children — Sharon Raye and Brittany Mcminn. Happy Mother’s Day to all the mothers in our community who have played the most important role in our society.

PHILIP GLASSMAN, PUBLISHER