The life-changing news that started it all
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Or contact her directly by emailing: galagals@aol.com
Have you ever noticed how powerful those two short sentences can be if you ask the right person? I know they had the power to change the direction my life had become. If you'll give me a moment of your time I'll share my story with you.
In 2014, my oldest daughter, Lucky, and I were living our best life in our home in Delray Beach, then in April, she was diagnosed with Multiple Myeloma and everything changed. We moved to Apopka to be close to family and five years later I was still a stranger in my own town. Fate stepped in. I had a fall that left me with serious injuries and unable to remember who I was or how to talk. My prayer was if I recovered, I'd get out and make a difference in my new hometown.
On my road to recovery I discovered Kasheta Farm and not to be cliché, but the rest is history. What began as me sitting at the picnic table at the farm selling handcrafted gnomes grew into a blossoming Makers Market, 26 vendors strong! Food trucks, a petting zoo, horseback riding, a cash bar created a wonderful opportunity for Apopka folks to enjoy shopping in the fresh air and for local artists to gather and sell their art.
It all began with me asking Caitlin (Kasheta), "What if?" and her immediately responding with, "Why not?" I knew, from the first moment we met, that if Caitlin was involved, the job would get done!
When I started hearing bits and bobs about Main Street Apopka (MSA) and learned of Caitlin's involvement I knew I wanted to be a part of it. I asked to sit in on a committee meeting or two so I could see first hand what MSA is all about and how I could best contribute. I sat in on each of the 4 different committee meetings, met the volunteers, and listened to the plans and goals of each. I discovered my interest lies in people, not so much process.
I'm not the go-to-girl for questions about permits or zoning, or about the bones of getting things done. I'm all about who's getting it done, what their credentials are, what they have to contribute and what they see as Apopka's way forward. Since my credentials are simple, I have an inquiring mind, a passion for life, the gift of gab and an extensive vocabulary, so it seemed like contributing my storytelling talent to a blog might just be my ticket to making a difference!
Once again, what if/why not. Thanks again, Caitlin.
I'll be blogging about the "fluff" on MSA, what I'm seeing and hearing about who's doing what, where, when, why and how. Stay tuned and stay engaged with Main Street Apopka!
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