Proud to be a part of the solid foundation of the Seminole County Indian Nation
It’s great to be a Seminole County Indian! I may have graduated from the red and black worlds of Cairo High School and the University of Georgia, but now, after more than a decade of living in the land of the green, the blood flowing in my veins is that same color – the bright shade of Seminole County Indian green. I proudly wear my Seminole County Indian hats and shirts in support of everything that is good about the Seminole County school and recreation systems.
I have proudly covered the amazing performances of the Green Machine Band, the football, baseball and softball games, tennis and golf matches, cross country meets, recreation events, one act plays, honors nights, literary events, 4-H and FFA and more. I have watched the faces of Seminole County students light up in pride of their achievements and my pride for them has grown with each and every event. I have learned their names and the names of their family members and I feel like, even if it is in a very small way, that I have become a part of their lives.
When I first arrived in Seminole County, almost twelve years ago, I felt a little uncomfortable attending events surrounded by crowds of strangers. Everywhere I went I felt a little disconnected – but always welcome. At that time I was a stranger. Students and adults referred to me as – hopefully affectionately – Mr. Photographer Man. After a few years, my face became more familiar, and I became known and addressed regularly as Mr. Donalsonville News Man. (That’s one reference I really did like.) Today, living in this community and proudly calling it home, I feel so very, very different. Because of the strong and sturdy foundation of the Seminole County Indian Nation – provided in part by each and every one of you – everywhere I go I feel so much at home.
This past week I was walking down one of the halls at the middle-high school when a student passed by and spoke kindly to me – referring to me not as Mr. Photograph Man, not even as Mr. Donalsonville News Man – but as Mr. David. That warmed my heart, validated my green card and truly made me proud to be an acknowledged and legitimate part of that strong Indian Nation foundation.
Webster’s defines the word foundation as something, such as a person, an idea, a principle, or a fact that provides support for something. I am honored to be a part of that support system here in Seminole County.
Throughout this community students are continuously recognized for achievement in academics, athletics, music, and citizenship. This community strongly supports its youth and those efforts are second to none. Parents are actively engaged in supporting each activity by regularly volunteering in classrooms, at school and extracurricular events and filling the stands to capacity on each and every occasion.
A rich tradition of quality family values thrives within the Seminole County community, and this tradition, combined with all that it means to bleed green, provides a most impressive and substantial positive foundation for the very proud Indian nation.
As we prepare for another graduation season and watch as the latest chapter of our community’s youth unfolds in this glorious land of the green, I am proud and honored to be in a position to tell that story on the pages of your community newspaper. I am proud to be a legitimate part of the strong foundation that bleeds green in support of the mighty Seminole County Indian Nation. Go Big Green!
Comments and impressions are welcomed and requested at david@donalsonvillenews.com