Strong Families Build Strong Communities One Day at a Time

"Grandparent of the Year" Award  

We received many wonderful nominations for Grandparent of the Year. Below are some of the nominations we received:

We Nominate: Waymon Meadows - Our Grandpa

Good Points about our Grandpa:

• He is the best Grandpa in the World
• He deserves to win
• We are good fishing partners
• He is 72 yrs. Old and:
  • Can still ride a bike
  • Is still married
  • Is a good shot with a Shotgun
  • He still goes to church
  • Can throw us through a wall

We think our grandpa should get the Grandparent of the Year Award because he is such a good grandparent and over all good person, to everyone. Although at times he can be aggravated easily, as so can everyone else. He is also loving, understanding, and compassionate. We also do many things together. Such as our Saturday routine which starts at about 5 a.m. when we’re on the lake fishing. We always catch fish and have tons of fun. Then we stop at McDonalds and get a vanilla Ice Cream Cone. Then when we get to his house, we clean the fish and talk about man business. As we cool of with a fresh dip in the pool Grandpa fries the fish then we get out and help him cook the french fries, cheese grits and hushpuppies. Then before we start eating Payne or myself (Christian) will pick a fresh lemon off the tree, then we pray and dine in. As you can see we love our Grandpa and spend a lot of time with him and after this short little story I hope you see the great Grandfather he is.

Christian and Payne Sewnarine

Its impossible to put into words the love our family has for its two “leaders.” While my sisters and I can brag we have the greatest mom who ever lived and the most caring step dad anyone could ask for it seems neither one is any longer our parent. Rather they are grandparents to Emma, Louise, Riley, Evan, Jesse & Natalie.

As grandparents these two take the responsibility of teaching old family traditions and creating new fun traditions. Most recently added to the list is an annual Halloween “spooky” meal. This year it consisted of pigs feet cake and cat litter dessert. I can still hear the kids screaming!

They also take all the grandparent liberties such as allowing soda, candy, and dessert before the actual meal. They return overnight clothes smelling fresher than they were sent and always beat the rest of us to the good seats at school performances.

There is no shortage of kisses and hugs!

What makes our parents the grandparents of the year? It’s the way our family came together…we were created through, divorce and marriage, birth and adoption, our family is forever changing!

The “grandparents” are the WELCOME WAGON!
Through foster care involvement children have come and gone from our family. All have been accepted by our parents. They have been “grandparents” to each child. Treated like they have always been in our family, treated like they were never leaving, loved like they were ours! Emma, Louise, Riley, Evan, Jesse & Natalie have all learned compassion, acceptance, kindness and mercy from their grandparents solid example.

It is my prayer that the “grandchildren” however long they are a part of our family and by whatever means they came to our family: that they grow up to emulate the values instilled by these grandparents!

Respectfully-
Kacy Keim

I'd like to take this opportunity to nominate my good friend, Marsha Bonds, of Auburndale, FL as Grandparent of the Year. She has always given so much love & care to both of her granddaughters. She gives tirelessly of her time & talents, working as a volunteer at their school, Caldwell Elem. As a matter of fact, she was selected Volunteer of the Year for that school, & then honored as Elementary School Volunteer of the Year for all of Polk County. Even before retiring from State Farm Ins., Marsha was actively involved in both the school & social activities of her granddaughters, with encouragement & support. Marsha & her husband Tom should be Grandparents of the Year! They have also provided their family with a variety of opportunities to learn through travel. Both girls know that "Grannie and Papa" will always provide unconditional loving care. She treasures the time she has w/them and makes the most of it.

Please carefully consider this recommendations. If additional information is needed, please contact me. Listed below is pertinent information.

Pam Comer

I'm writing about why my Grandma Tucker deserves to be "Grandparent of the Year." Some reasons are: She moved across the street to be closer to her grandkids. Also, she will sit down and play a variety of games with me.

She moved across the street to be closer to her grandkids. She loves her grandkids enough to buy a house across the street from my family and I.

My Grandma always sits down with me and plays a variety of different games. Some of these games are Trouble, Checkers, or sometimes Battleship. In Trouble, she usually beats me by just a little bit. In Checkers, she usually also wins. In Battleship, I usually win. This is so fun!

These are the reasons I think my Grandma should win Grandparent of the Year!

Michael Thomsen, age 10

I would like to nominate my grandma, Betty Davis, for the grandparent of the year award. She is always wanting to serve others and make them feel better. She is very caring. Any time I come home from a colorguard practice, game, or competition, she is always ready to get me something. Whether it be dinner, rub my shoulders or even just talk to me about my day, she is ready. She is a giving person. If she sees someone in need, she wants to help. Over the past few months I have seen her exceptionally strong. She has switched jobs and moved to a new area. Even though it may not seem hard, she had to learn a whole new system of doing things at work, a whole new area, and she never gave up no matter how hard it may have been. But the strongest I saw her was when my grandpa passed away. She used the strength of us family to keep going and I admire her for that. She has showed me how to be strong through any hard time, and best of all, to be a charitable person. My grandma has always been loving toward all of us grandkids. Some of my best memories are being at grandma's house and baking. She never acts tired when playing with the younger grandkids. My grandma is someone that I look up to and it makes me want to be that enerjectic when I have my own grandkids someday. When she comes over to our house, I may not talk to her as much as I used to, but I hope through this, she knows how much I love her. I love you Grandma!!

nomination given by Allie Bailey age 15

My name is_______and I have the greatest granny in the world. My whole family would like to nominate my granny as the greatest woman ever. She married my grandfather many years ago. I was still young. I am 13 now. She has been the perfect granny to all of us. We have a large family and she has made us complete. She takes us to church and out to eat. She really is the perfect angel. The cornerstone of our large family. I do not know what my life and my cousins would have been like without this perfect woman. You can trust her with any secret. She loves us even when I am not at my best. My mom adores her. She is always here for all of us. How could you not pick Granny the best person, stepmom, aunt, wife in the world? She does not have to love us, but she does. She is the best person I have ever known. She never raises her voice. She prays for us. She takes good care of my grandfather. She is so good to him. He is an awesome man. I know God looked at us and said, boy, do they need a granny and he sent her to us. She is the center of our family. She spoils us, makes us laugh, takes me places. She is my best friend. I can always trust her. I do not know what I would do without her. I love her and my grandpa more than anyone else in the world. I respect and trust them. I am truly thankful for what she does for all of us. We all love her so much. How could she not be the greatest granny in the world?

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