When more cows than people lived in Miami Lakes, residents of the burgeoning town formed the Miami Lakes Civic Association.
A community was rising out of the dairy farm owned by what came to be called The Graham Companies. The civic association, begun in 1964 and comprised of volunteers from those first families who were passionate about what the company was creating, devoted themselves to the town’s quality of life and helped it become an independent municipality.
The town paid tribute to many folks – including Felicia Salazar, Tony Sanchez and a former member and the first mayor, Wayne Slaton, who were present on Jan. 27 -- by naming rooms for them at the Mary Collins Community Center.
“A lot of the traditions that we enjoy today were started by these incredible individuals,” Mayor Manny Cid said at the ceremony.
Among annual events begun by the civic association: The Veterans Parade; Easter egg hunt and Christmas tree lighting.
They also published a town directory; chartered a Boy Scout troop; installed Welcome to Miami Lakes signs, playground equipment and benches in parks; tackled street lighting and widened Miami Lakes Drive to four lanes with curved landscaped medians, among accomplishments listed by Slaton.
The civic association disbanded in 2000 after guiding the town toward incorporation, when a municipal government could be established. Its historical records may eventually be displayed in the community center, Cid said.
Stuart S. Wyllie, president and chief executive officer of The Graham Companies, has called Slaton “the unsung hero” of the incorporation movement.
Slaton called the civic association’s activities “just good citizenship.”
He credited the Graham family’s investment in Miami Lakes and its long-term commitment to the town, where some descendants still live, and friends and neighbors of the developers, as all contributing to town culture.
Tony Sanchez called the town a model of planning and responsible growth that other communities should follow.
It attracts “countless number of decent human beings” who have lived in Miami Lakes and served it well, he said.
Salazar designed the town seal.
“Our mission in this world is to leave it better than we found it,” she said. “The challenge now for the new generation is to keep that dream on, to keep it a special town, a special place for the next generations.”
Also present were Councilmembers Luis Collazo and Marilyn Ruano; Town Manager Edward Pidermann; Town Clerk Gina Inguanzo; representatives from Fla. Rep. Tom Fabricio’s office; Deputy Town Attorney Lorenzo Cobiella; Stuart S. Wyllie, Carol Wyllie, executive vice president, Laura W. Ratliff, porfolio manager and Danny Martinez, leasing manager, all with The Graham Companies; Margaret Slaton and town staffers.
Slaton provided copies of old town directories that listed members of the civic association, and included: John Ackerman; Wayne Anders; Nan Anzalone; Cindy Baros; Richard Bock; Jim Bozer; Patricia Campbell; Frank Cantinella; Frank Clay; Dorothy Cook; Mike Craig; Angela Garrison; Dick Geisland; Mary Gentile; Susan George; Russ Geyer; Joanne Glennon; Jose Gonzalez; Pete Goodwin; Mike Guanche; Ladd Howell; Jim Hamilton; Tom Kennedy; Bill Kowal; Cliff Leutner; Jeanne Leuton; Louise Lewis; Tina Mallard; Joaquin Mantero; Andrew Martin; Hernando Medina; Fred Metscher; Gil Mojica; Tom Montague; Tris Morgan; Carl Mosher; Pete Naclerio; Karen Nelson; Rodger Newman; Bob Norris; David Oliver; George Orfely; Mat Ortwein; Tom Paligraf; Bill Raffony; Jim Rawson; Claire Reyes; Debbie Samuels; Armando Santelices; Barbara Sokolowski; Barbara Spadaro; Bob Walter and Tom Westwood.
In the group photo are, from left Miami Lakes Councilman Luis Collazo; Margaret Slaton; Wayne Slaton; Tony Sanchez; Felicia Salazar; Miami Lakes Mayor Manny Cid; Miami Lakes Councilwoman Marilyn Ruano and Carol Wyllie, executive vice president and Stuart S. Wyllie, president and chief executive officer, both of The Graham Companies.