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10 x May 2 — 15, 2019 x www.SouthwestOrlandoBulletin.com<br />
OVERALL WINNER<br />
Christopher Forsyth, 11<br />
Lake Fischer Estates<br />
Best Mom: Patricia Byrne<br />
Whether it’s taking care of me or<br />
staying up half the night helping me<br />
with my homework, my mom is the<br />
best. Because my birth mom had some<br />
problems, I had to go into foster care<br />
when I was a baby. That’s when I went<br />
to live with the parents who adopted<br />
me.<br />
My adoptive mom, Pat, will go to<br />
any lengths to take care of me and<br />
protect me. She is there whenever I<br />
need her. When I had eye muscle surgery<br />
when I was 5, she didn’t leave<br />
my side.<br />
Last August, my adoptive dad, Gus,<br />
died. He was the best dad I could ever<br />
have asked for, and my mom is helping<br />
me through my grief. She is sad herself,<br />
but she stays strong for me.<br />
While my mom is loving and caring,<br />
she still gets on me about doing<br />
my work, because she wants me to<br />
grow up and have a good life. Every<br />
morning before I leave for school, she<br />
tells me, “Do your best. Be your best.”<br />
She inspires me to work as hard as<br />
I can. She paid her way through college<br />
so she could become a teacher,<br />
and she taught at a community college<br />
for 35 years. She is the reason I’m determined<br />
to get good grades and go<br />
to college to become a police officer.<br />
Every night, I say a prayer of thanks for<br />
my wonderful home and family, especially<br />
my amazing mom.<br />
12-AND-OLDER WINNER<br />
Jared Pent, adult<br />
Gotha<br />
Best Mom: Boni Pent<br />
What do a teacher; FBI agent; combustion<br />
engineering Ph.D.; communications<br />
specialist; agronomy Ph.D.; emergency/<br />
trauma nurse; and soon-to-be baccalaureate<br />
graduate in child-life, event management<br />
and nursing have in common?<br />
A mother who invested more than three<br />
consecutive decades to raising, educating<br />
and loving her nine children.<br />
Growing up, our home in Gotha was<br />
full of laughter, learning and an endless<br />
number of chores. Mom (and Dad) led<br />
us by example to love God and serve<br />
others before ourselves. If raising nine<br />
children wasn’t enough of a full-time<br />
career, Mom also worked on a daily<br />
basis as the accountant of the family<br />
business, a landscape contracting corporation<br />
that completed residential and<br />
commercial projects throughout Florida.<br />
After more than 30 years of changing<br />
diapers, taxiing children to countless activities,<br />
bookkeeping late into the night,<br />
and teaching subjects ranging from phonics<br />
to algebra, you’d think it would finally<br />
be time for Mom to begin relaxing. But,<br />
the service to her family and community<br />
continues, even with “only” the youngest<br />
two children remaining at home.<br />
Mom is as busy as ever, serving the<br />
families of her church, enjoying her<br />
13 grandchildren, and answering the<br />
around-the-clock phone calls from those<br />
of us who have begun our own families<br />
and wonder how Mom survived all of<br />
us. But, by nothing short of a divine<br />
miracle, Mom did survive, and her nine<br />
children will be forever grateful to her.<br />
10-11 WINNER<br />
Hailey Benton, 10<br />
Westfield<br />
Best Mom: Lori Benton<br />
If someone were to ask me who my<br />
idol was, it would not be an actress or<br />
actor. It wouldn’t be an Olympian or<br />
YouTuber. It wouldn’t even be a famous<br />
singer. I would say ... my mom!<br />
My mom is selfless. She tries to give<br />
me the world. Every night, she helps<br />
me with my homework, even if I get<br />
frustrated and yell at her. She gave<br />
up her job when my older sister was<br />
born so she could stay at home to<br />
take care of us. She also volunteers<br />
at my school all the time and was the<br />
PTO president at my school for a term.<br />
She helps raise puppies for Canine<br />
Companions for Independence, too.<br />
So far, we have raised one puppy,<br />
and we are in the middle of raising<br />
our next one.<br />
She is also fearless. The word “fearless”<br />
does not describe me, but without<br />
a doubt it describes my mom.<br />
Everywhere we go, my mom always tells<br />
BECAUSE EVERY MOM DESERVES TO BE PAMPERED<br />
This Mother’s Day, treat mom to any or all of three indulgent spa packages at The Spa at Shingle Creek.<br />
Each includes all-day access to our relaxation room, whirlpool, infrared sauna,<br />
steam room and our sparkling lap pool.<br />
CHERISHED SPA PACKAGE | $228<br />
Features our legendary Himalayan Salt Stone Massage (50 min.)<br />
and Express Facial.<br />
APPRECIATED SPA PACKAGE | $257<br />
Includes our Signature Fitness Facial (50 min.),<br />
Express Massage and Classic Vinylux Pedicure.<br />
ADORED SPA PACKAGE (TWO ADULTS) | $276<br />
Mom and a friend will each enjoy a Signature Revitalizing Manicure and Pedicure.<br />
SpaAtShingleCreek.com/Spa-Promotions | Complimentary Valet Parking<br />
Located at Rosen Shingle Creek | 9939 Universal Blvd., Orlando, FL 32819 | 407.996.9772<br />
*Discounted services are based on availability. Offered only during May. See website for complete details. Use spa code CE9968731.
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