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Lake Placid Citizens

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Nancy Reed

Published: June 25, 2008

Dr. Reed and I are some of the newest residents of Lake Placid. We moved here six months ago. We chose this town because of the location, size and all of the beautiful lakes.

We looked very carefully all over Florida and chose our new hometown with great care. My husband is retired. He delivered over 12,000 babies in Newark, Ohio. This is our new home.

There are many reasons or ways we have discovered how warm and friendly this town is. Some of these reasons are: Our church: Memorial United Methodist, Noon Rotary, Florida Hospital, where Nick volunteers, The Lake Placid Woman's Club, P.E.O. (two chapters no less) and the civic support everywhere we go: Manna, The Arts and Crafts Co-Op, The Art League, the library, etc.

The house we live in was built by Shelagh Byatt of Indigo Builders. All of the work was well done: Jose Ibanez Landscaping, Burke Docks, Pals Pools, etc. We are very happy with the quality of the local building industry. All in all this has been a great experience.

Now for the purpose of this letter. The past few days have been very hard for this town. The untimely death of Mason Smoak has impacted your town and all who live here to the bottom of your souls. Nick and I have never seen or heard of a town gathering around a family and showing the love, support and compassion that we have seen in the past few days.

The acts of kindness and concern go way beyond church, and school. They are the acts of a family toward a member in need and in sadness. It has been moving and very reassuring to us concerning the condition of the human spirit in 2008. Babcock Furniture store brought in a refrigerator for the extra food. The parents and brother were flown home in private jets owned by leaders in the citrus industry in Florida. Green ribbons are everywhere. On Sunday our church was full of friends and family willing to share stories of Mason's kind heart and love of life.

When we built our house we named it Buckeye Heaven (we came from Ohio). We are neighbors of the family of Mason Smoak. But based on all we have seen in Lake Placid in the past six months, especially this past week; we feel we are truly in Florida Heaven. Thank you to your community and all of the citizens who live here!

Nancy Reed
Lake Placid

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