April 9, 2024 — And we feel like lucky humans knowing there are so many caring, civic-minded Cardies in this community. Year-to-date, at Cardies’ request, more than 1,000 VOTE postcards have been sent FREE to groups and individuals who plan to use them to get out the vote.
Over the weekend, Contributing Cardie Gloria Dougherty emailed me from her home in Madison, WI, “I’ve been writing postcards to Florida voters encouraging them to enroll by phone to receive voting ballots by mail,” she said. “Haven’t seen your address come up yet!” Ha! No mail-in ballots needed in my home — to vote in our little Miami Beach neighborhood of Surfside, we just walk across the street and are in and out of Town Hall in no time. 👍🏼
As it happens, we voted last month in an outrageous race for mayor and commissioners. I’ll spare you the despicable details, but we’re talking Crazytown! After two years of unequaled arrogance and intimidation, we anticipated that the mayor’s own ego would bring an end to his reign, but he sealed that deal in the last Town meeting held before election day. Just as he appeared ready to adjourn the six-hour meeting, Commissioner Marianne Meischeid asked to say a few last words. “I think we’ve heard enough,” he said, leaving “from you” hanging in the air along with his raised gavel.
Full disclosure, Marianne is a neighbor, longtime friend, and passionate Cardie. Patient and gracious, she said, “No, wait, please. It’s my last meeting as a commissioner — I’m not running again — and I’d really like to leave my fellow citizens with a positive thought. Whatever happens in this election, let’s all please remember The Golden Rule. ‘Treat others as you would like others to treat you.’ Thank you,” she said. In the blink of an eye came the mayor’s rejoinder. “That’s not the golden rule. The golden rule is ‘The one who has the most gold rules!’” The following week he was soundly voted out.
The day after that relief of an election, Creative Coordinator Bianca carpooled five kids aged five to 12 to school, and walked into the Creative studio chuckling. She had me laughing so hard, I’ll let Bianca tell you herself below.
Jodee Stevens
Founder & Chief Creative
As soon as they were all buckled in behind me, the very chatty and passionate 10-year-old Benny started stretching the strap of his seatbelt out of the way so he could lean closer to me and yell, “Did you see? We won the election! Thank God the monster didn’t win!” To that, sweet Ethan, who is no more than seven, sounded concerned, “Wait, there was a monster?!” To which five-year-old adorable Gigi, with her long, blond pigtails and sequined-unicorn top asked, “People vote for monsters?!”
Trying to put the monster talk in perspective, I said, “There were no actual monsters. One of the candidates is being called a monster by some people because he has not acted like a nice man at all. And, yea, it’s weird, but people do sometimes vote for people that seem mean. What is really exciting, though,” I said, “is that I feel like everyone in our town made sure to go vote and that really made a difference.”
Benny wasn’t buying it. “He is a monster! He is really rude, he doesn’t let people speak at the meetings, he goes ‘shhhhhhhhhh’ to people’s faces, and I know that because he did it to my mom’s friend and he doesn’t care about the people of Surfside, he only cares about money.”
Quickly, Ethan claimed, “Well, I care about EVERYTHING and EVERYONE!” and I said, “That’s really nice to hear, Ethan. I wish more people were as caring.” This compassionate one went on to say, “Nelly (aka reelected Commissioner Velasquez) didn’t get as many votes as she should … I don’t know why …” At that, wee Gigi showed her political chops by saying, “Maybe she didn’t tell that many friends.”
At this point, we’re stopped at a light, I start laughing, turn around, and look at each precocious little being in the back and ask, “How on earth do you guys know all this?!”
Self-appointed spokesperson Benny confirms,“Oh, at home! I hear all this at home,” and I said, “Hmm … and you guys are always listening, right?” At this, my own 12-year-old Ben, who has remained silent in the front passenger seat, looks over at me with a sly grin and says simply, “Always.”
Bianca Di Paolo
Creative Coordinator
April 9, 2024 — And we feel like lucky humans knowing there are so many caring, civic-minded Cardies in this community. Year-to-date, at Cardies’ request, more than 1,000 VOTE postcards have been sent FREE to groups and individuals who plan to use them to get out the vote.
Over the weekend, Contributing Cardie Gloria Dougherty emailed me from her home in Madison, WI, “I’ve been writing postcards to Florida voters encouraging them to enroll by phone to receive voting ballots by mail,” she said. “Haven’t seen your address come up yet!” Ha! No mail-in ballots needed in my home — to vote in our little Miami Beach neighborhood of Surfside, we just walk across the street and are in and out of Town Hall in no time. 👍🏼
As it happens, we voted last month in an outrageous race for mayor and commissioners. I’ll spare you the despicable details, but we’re talking Crazytown! After two years of unequaled arrogance and intimidation, we anticipated that the mayor’s own ego would bring an end to his reign, but he sealed that deal in the last Town meeting held before election day. Just as he appeared ready to adjourn the six-hour meeting, Commissioner Marianne Meischeid asked to say a few last words. “I think we’ve heard enough,” he said, leaving “from you” hanging in the air along with his raised gavel.
Full disclosure, Marianne is a neighbor, longtime friend, and passionate Cardie. Patient and gracious, she said, “No, wait, please. It’s my last meeting as a commissioner — I’m not running again — and I’d really like to leave my fellow citizens with a positive thought. Whatever happens in this election, let’s all please remember The Golden Rule. ‘Treat others as you would like others to treat you.’ Thank you.” In the blink of an eye came the mayor’s rejoinder. “That’s not the golden rule. The golden rule is ‘The one who has the most gold rules!’” The following week he was soundly voted out.
The day after that relief of an election, Creative Coordinator Bianca carpooled five kids aged five to 12 to school, and walked into the Creative studio chuckling. She had me laughing so hard, I’ll let Bianca tell you herself below.
Jodee Stevens
Founder & Chief Creative
As soon as they were all buckled in behind me, the very chatty and passionate 10-year-old Benny started stretching the strap of his seatbelt out of the way so he could lean closer to me and yell, “Did you see? We won the election! Thank God the monster didn’t win!” To that, sweet Ethan, who is no more than seven, sounded concerned, “Wait, there was a monster?!” To which five-year-old adorable Gigi, with her long, blond pigtails and sequined-unicorn top asked, “People vote for monsters?!”
Trying to put the monster talk in perspective, I said, “There were no actual monsters. One of the candidates is being called a monster by some people because he has not acted like a nice man at all. And, yea, it’s weird, but people do sometimes vote for people that seem mean. What is really exciting, though,” I said, “is that I feel like everyone in our town made sure to go vote and that really made a difference.”
Benny wasn’t buying it. “He is a monster! He is really rude, he doesn’t let people speak at the meetings, he goes ‘shhhhhhhhhh’ to people’s faces, and I know that because he did it to my mom’s friend and he doesn’t care about the people of Surfside, he only cares about money.”
Quickly, Ethan claimed, “Well, I care about EVERYTHING and EVERYONE!” and I said, “That’s really nice to hear, Ethan. I wish more people were as caring.” This compassionate one went on to say, “Nelly (aka reelected Commissioner Velasquez) didn’t get as many votes as she should … I don’t know why …” At that, wee Gigi showed her political chops by saying, “Maybe she didn’t tell that many friends.”
At this point, we’re stopped at a light, I start laughing, turn around, and look at each precocious little being in the back and ask, “How on earth do you guys know all this?!”
Self-appointed spokesperson Benny confirms,“Oh, at home! I hear all this at home,” and I said, “Hmm … and you guys are always listening, right?” At this, my own 12-year-old Ben, who has remained silent in the front passenger seat, looks over at me with a sly grin and says simply, “Always.”
Bianca Di Paolo
Creative Coordinator
This Surfside story is just precious! In my 50 years of teaching (retired 2019), my instinct always was to put trust in the kids. When you get right down to it, most of their hearts are in the right place.
What an uplifting Surfside story. Thank you for sharing! My mother, born and raised in Ohio, lived in Surfside in the early 1940s. She loved it.
Like Gloria, I am one of the Cardies writing FL voters using your great VOTE cards. Thanks for those too.
As some children’s t-shirts say ‘Kindness is cool’.
I agree.
Let’s all VOTE for the KIND candidates.
Agreed! Vote Kindness and General Compassion back in…all “monsters” need not apply.
Thanks for the uplifting, heartwarming story.
Out of the moths of babes…💕