A "quiet oasis for the community" is how Lela Lilyquist describes a shaded lot now for sale.
By LELA LILYQUIST
Published May 21, 2004
When we moved to Brandon in 1991, Lumsden Road was primarily wide open spaces. Cattle grazed and the drive home from work at Tampa General Hospital was pretty relaxed.
I'm thankful I no longer commute to Tampa on a daily basis. I'm also thankful I've had the past 13 years to appreciate my hometown of Brandon.
For many of those years I fought development hand in hand with June Post, my neighbor. June passed away a few years ago. She taught me that our greenways and wetlands need to be protected for future generations as well as the many animals that call them home.
Our sandhill crane families now search for any semblance of a wetland. They wander like lost souls moving from one greenway to another until construction starts up and once again forces them to find a new home.
I live with my husband, Floyd, and 8-year-old daughter, Catherine. On the Fourth of July, our family loves the parade just down the street. We gather with neighbors at the corner of Parsons and Lumsden to enjoy the start of the parade. I reflect on the Oak Tree Park there and I recognize the sacredness of this quiet giant cluster of oak trees. I envision a memorial to 9/11, a picnic park complete with an outdoor amphitheater and public facilities - all the while keeping the oak trees intact. Brick pathways with the names of the victims of 9/11 as well as the soldiers we continue to lose in the name of freedom. A quiet oasis for the community to reflect on how special Brandon is and what Brandon is known for in neighboring communities.
Our beautiful oak trees.
My chagrin comes from knowing the land is for sale; the landowner is holding out for a Walgreens or Eckerd to come in and destroy that beautiful corner.
I wish as a community we could all stop what we are doing and consciously pray for this nation and world and think as stewards how important is each individual's responsibility and what we are leaving behind for our children to inherit.
My goal is to continue to rattle the cages of our community through education and conscious thoughts and actions. Who knows? Maybe Publix Super Markets is listening and would like to make a corporate donation to establish a liberty memorial park in Brandon at our oak tree park.
In conclusion, with Brandon growing at such a rapid pace, perhaps it's time to take the time to reflect on the things we are losing in the process.
-Lilyquist lives on Meadow Lane in Brandon. She owns Nature's Health Food Inc. and Nature's Health Foods and Cafe in Brandon, and Nature's Health Foods of Plant City.
