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Guest column

I live here

Lithia's small-town feeling brings a sense of closeness, just as Brandon's did, years ago.

By JILL CAREY RINTOUL
Published August 5, 2005

LITHIA - I am a true Florida Cracker, as I was born and raised in Brandon in the late 1960s - one of the few!

I attended school in Tampa, and everyone always said, "You live all the way out in Brandon. That's a cow town." Considering my father owned Carey Cattle Co., I guess they weren't far off. If they could see Brandon now!

Unfortunately, the growth is somewhat bittersweet. It is nice to have most shops, restaurants, services, and professional practices right here, but I miss the small-town feel of the Brandon of yesterday. I grew up riding on motorcycles alongside Highway 60, learning to drive cars where the mall is now and really knowing the people who lived in our community.

I moved away from Brandon to attend Georgetown University and lived elsewhere for awhile, but I always considered Brandon home. When I moved back, I became involved once again in the community. I am currently president of the GFWC Brandon Junior Woman's Club, Uniform Chair at FishHawk Creek Elementary, and am on the Steer Committee at the Florida State Fair.

I now live in FishHawk Trails in Lithia with my husband Steve and our two children, Kyle, 8, and Sydney, 4. We have lived here for four years and we really enjoy it.

The FishHawk area is like the Brandon of yesterday. My friends in Brandon think I live so far out, just like my friends in Tampa did 25 years ago. I love our neighbors in FishHawk and the sense of community and friendship in our neighborhood. We live in a very family-oriented neighborhood, where you really get to know your neighbors and their families. My children never lack for a friend to play with, and we always seem to have get-togethers and group outings.

FishHawk has excellent schools from the elementary level to the high school. It is nice to go to the grocery store, post office, or local restaurant and see people you know. Even though commercial enterprise is coming our way, I hope FishHawk will be able to preserve its sense of community.

I am truly blessed with a great family, great friends, and a great community to be part of here in Lithia. So now when people say we live so far out in Lithia, I reply, "Yes we do and love every minute of it!"

[Last modified August 4, 2005, 08:43:14]