050522 SWB DIGITAL EDITION

18 x May 5 — 18, 2022 x www.SouthwestOrlandoBulletin.com
OVERALL WINNER
Stephen Varkey, adult
Phillips Landing
Best Mom: Ann Varkey
Your parents will always be your
parents, but your mom never stops being
your mom. Well into my 40s, I’m
continually inspired by my mother. She
continues to display the same level of resilience
that I’ve always known from her,
the same desire to care for others, and
the same persistence that made her one
of the top performers in her field.
My mother, Ann Varkey, is the pinnacle
of the immigrant success story, and
it is her daily example that pushes me
to become not only a better father but
an overall better person. Moving to the
U.S. from India with next to nothing in
her pocket, she worked hard to build a
life for herself and, ultimately, our family.
She showed me that it’s never too late
to make a change for the better when
she changed careers. She provided
an example for me when she volunteered
her time in a prison ministry. She
SUMMER 2022
displays her love for others by giving
generously, not just financially but with
her time. She wants to be a blessing to
those around her.
Now, as a grandmother to my children,
I know they are in her prayers.
She’s constantly texting me with advice.
She still encourages my sisters to be the
best.
So why is my mom the best? It’s because
she tries to make everything and
everyone around her better. She has created
a legacy through her sheer desire
to make an impact in this world.
12-AND-OLDER WINNER
Allison Belemjian, 14
Wesmere
Best Mom: Karisa Belemjian
You know how some people are so
in sync that they can finish each other’s
sentences? How some best friends can
exchange one simple look to express a
whole thought? My mother and I share
this kind of incredible bond, for which I
am so grateful.
June 27th – July 22nd
Every morning, I walk up to my mother
and give her a hug. It seems so simple,
yet it brightens both of our days. She
always has perfect, motherly wisdom to
give, which is comforting. She’s supportive
of me and my dreams and inspires
me to be my personal best in all my endeavors.
She loves me for me, exactly
the way I am. She has been my rock
during tough times. I appreciate all of
the work that she has put into raising my
sister and me. I just hope that one day
I’ll be even half of the mother that she is.
Thank you, Mom! I love you so much.
10-11 WINNER
Lily Groenendaal, 11
Gotha
Best Mom: Jennifer Groenendaal
My mom is the best mom in the
Southwest and probably in the whole
country. There are lots of reasons why,
but the main reasons are because she
is there for me, and she is also caring.
I can talk to my mom about anything
because she understands. When I get
down on myself, she says she gets that
way, too. She reminds me that no one
can start anything for the first time and
be really good at it. Everything takes
practice.
When I first started playing the violin,
I was discouraged because I sounded
pretty bad. I wanted to give up. When
my mom was in the sixth grade, she started
playing the trombone, and she was
not good at it. She did not want to go to
her Christmas recital because the other
kids played better. But, she got extra
help from her music teacher and did not
give up. She played at her recital and
ended up playing pretty well. This has
encouraged me to keep practicing, and I
am now better at playing the violin.
Sometimes, I get sad when kids are
mean to me and to other kids. My mom
makes me feel better by explaining to
me that every kid experiences mean
people. No matter how kind you are,
there is always someone who is not nice
or will say mean things. My mom tells
me to focus on nice kids who are positive
and treat others well, and this helps
me feel better.
She is so loving. She shows she cares
by giving me hugs and spending time
with me. She likes to take me shopping
for clothes, and we like to get our hair
done together. She tells me nice things,
like that she believes in me and that I am
beautiful and talented. She tells me I am
so special because I am her only daughter,
and I am the only granddaughter in
the family. When I am sad, she is there
to give me a hug and tell me it will get
better.
I am happy to have my mom because,
without her, I would be sad. I can go to
my mom for anything that I need, and
she makes me feel better when I am sad.
9-AND-YOUNGER WINNER
Cali Daskalakis, 9
Windermere Crossing
Best Mom: Hope Daskalakis
My mom is the best because she helps
me and many other people, including
animals. She is funny, smart and generous.
One time, I ate something I was
allergic to, and she stayed next to me
the whole time and gave me medicine
and checked on me every hour. She
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