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Safety Harbor shows compassion for its new sister city

Ocean Springs, Miss., and Safety Harbor had a lot in common, but one is intact and the other was washed away by Hurricane Katrina.

By EILEEN SCHULTE and TAMARA EL-KHOURY
Published September 27, 2005

At 88, Safety Harbor is finally getting a sister.

Her name is Ocean Springs, and she's in Mississippi, just a few miles from Biloxi.

The sister cities are not exactly identical, but they resemble each other enough to be fraternal twins.

Both are waterfront communities. Ocean Springs had a population of 17,698, according to the U.S. Census. Safety Harbor's population is 17,550.

Ocean Springs had a monthly "Fourth Friday" event. Safety Harbor has a "Third Friday" event.

Ocean Springs was famous for its springs, as is Safety Harbor.

But while Safety Harbor is intact, much of Ocean City has been washed away by Hurricane Katrina.

"We want to reach out to a family community that we can identify with," said Cynthia O'Donnell, chief executive officer of the Safety Harbor Chamber of Commerce.

Adopting Ocean Springs was city Commissioner Nadine Nickeson's idea.

She happened to be listening to National Public Radio one morning as she prepared for a long day that included a lengthy City Commission meeting that night.

The interviewer was talking to a woman named Connie Moran, the mayor of Ocean Springs, Miss., who told listeners about the devastation and the loss of 80 percent of the town's historical structures.

Nickeson stopped what she was doing and listened more intently.

"When I heard the name Ocean Springs, I zeroed in," she said. "I was there a couple of years ago."

Nickeson said she had been impressed by the city. Founded in 1699 by Pierre LeMoyne, it had tree-lined brick streets and lots of charm.

Nickeson discussed the city's troubles with O'Donnell and Mayor Pam Corbino, and all three decided to adopt it.

"This is a three- to four-year plan," O'Donnell said. "We're in the collecting stage right now. We are accepting money and goods. They're not looking for clothing."

O'Donnell said gift cards to Home Depot and Lowe's are very much appreciated.

She said she and the other participants will pack the items in a van and deliver them to Ocean Springs residents the weekend before Thanksgiving.

Upon hearing that news, Margaret Miller, chief executive officer of the Ocean Springs Chamber of Commerce, seemed grateful.

"It sounds wonderful," she said. "I know several of us have slipped into the "What are we going to do with our families during the holidays this year?' (mentality). Cities like Safety Harbor are assuring us that although they will be different, they will also be more memorable than ever before."

Maitland, Fla., also has a sister-city arrangement with Ocean Springs, according to the Orlando Sentinel . Residents there are collecting toys for children and are planning a trip to the city to cook Thanksgiving dinners for hurricane victims.

By the end of the week, Oldsmar also plans to adopt a sister city damaged by Hurricane Katrina, said Eric Seidel, executive board member with the Upper Tampa Bay Regional Chamber of Commerce.

With the city's support, the chamber has narrowed the list to three cities that are similar to Oldsmar in demographics and location.

The biggest challenge, Seidel said, is finding the right contacts.

"The last thing we want to do is point a lot of resources to an area that doesn't have receptors on the other end," he said.

[Last modified September 27, 2005, 02:45:31]