The Town of Miami Lakes honored longtime Elderly Affairs Committee Chair Dottie Wix with a proclamation at the May 14 council meeting. The audience in the chamber gave Wix, who recently stepped down from running the group, a standing ovation for all of her hard work and dedication to her fellow seniors.
“I have never seen a person celebrated like [Dottie] is here today,” Councilman Luis Collazo said. Collazo began his public service on the committee with Wix and said working with her was a joy. “She makes sure everybody is remembered, whether they’re at home and can’t make it or they are sick. … She would make sure the seniors were remembered,” he said. Wix organized food deliveries for elderly Miami Lakers during the COVID-19 Pandemic, an effort that served as a way to do wellness checks and stave off loneliness. She included Bingo cards with the lunches to keep folks engaged and involved. Wix also launched the Ms. Senior Miami Lakes contest, which later became Ms. and Mr. Senior Miami Lakes; senior holiday parties when she would dress in costume; the monthly bingo luncheons that draw more than 100 people; the health speaker series featuring doctors from area hospitals and field trips to Miami Marlins games and the casinos.
“We appreciate so much what you have done for this community and for those who cannot be here today because they could not get here,” Elderly Affairs Committee Vice Chair Lourdes Corvo said. “You were their voice to make sure they could speak.” Corvo said no one will be able to fill Wix’s shoes.
From left: Council members Bryan Morera, Ray Garcia and Marilyn Ruano; Nancy Rogers, chair, Public Safety Committee; Councilman Luis Collazo; Dottie Wix’s sister Barbara Eljaua; Dottie Wix; Mayor Manny Cid; Councilman Josh Dieguez; Pedro Fiallo, member, Elderly Affairs Committee and Vice Mayor Tony Fernandez.