Panama City
Panama City, Florida is located on the VERY south end of the state's panhandle which is of course WEST of the rest of the main section of the state. Just incase you didn't know where it was. We visited the VERY south part of the city when we kissed God in the Gulf and stayed in a beautiful beach house which belonged to a member of the board on the Humane Society for Bay County, and I must say...God did a GREAT job when He created Panama City's beaches. No, really, I'm serious! Go by sometime and see what I mean.
We were invited to the city of Panama City back in the summer for a gig that was suppose to take place in the fall. It didn't happen. We had scheduling problems, the airlines weren't flying Faith in the cabins, all sorts of issues popped up, and it just didn't take place until this past week, the week of December 11. We stayed from the 12-14, and I must admit, I didn't want to leave that gorgeous waterfront home. I really didn't want to leave it. I took pictures both on my camera and in my heart, and I will never forget my stay...ever!
While in the city we made sure to talk to as many people as we could. To do this we were facilitated by Jan Pittman, (the wonderful aforementioned member of the Board) and her husband Wes, a fantastic attorney just incase you were thinking you needed on. Look him up on the back of the yellowpages...he's the cute one on the magnet! (I had to tease him about that.) We were driven around by both Jan and a woman named Mary Sanger, another Humane Society of Bay County staffer, who was so sweet and so patient with all of my demands: I even forced these poor people to find me a Starbucks! They did, and Faith visited her #168th Starbucks, we took pictues. Mary and Jan took me to the TV station WJGH Channel 7, where I met with the funny man Paris Janos of the early (EARLY) show. He was so funny, and so up beat! When he stood up to talk to Donna, an anchor woman at the station, Faith took his chair! Paris didn't miss a beat, he just clapped his hands and loved on her more for it.
These fine ladies took me radio stations Sunny 98.5 and WPAP 92.5, where fans and listeners were able to eat doughnuts and come say hello to us in the parking lots! We met up with Tom Lewis, co-host on WPAP and nightly anchor of WJHG-TV Channel 7 News, you can Google Tom...he's awesome! We met every student at Bay High School, they won a donation drive so Faith was invited to visit with them and I was able to talk a little about her mission and how they could ask their parents to be sure and spay and neuter their pets. You know it's so important, it really is. I don't have the exact numbers, but millions of animals die needlessly every year in shelters due to people NOT spaying and neutering their pets. Faith is a product of this, and where I tell everyone I would NEVER trade my puppy in, or wish that she wasn't born, it is a fact that her mother Princess was over 12 years old having puppies. That's too old. It's dangerous both for the puppies and the mother. Its unsafe, unhealthy, and just plain unnecessary! (Oh OK...enough of that....I'm OK...I'll move on now.)
We went to the Health South Rehabilitation Center and met dozens of patients and staffers who loved my dog and saw first hand what it is to persevere through the hard times and the moments when you just don't know what God has planned for you. But you know, if He'll do this for a little dog, He'll do it for you! Health South provided us with an greater opportunity than any other place because Faith was MADE to help any and every person with needs of various disabilities, and their medical facility was huge, caring for so many different types of injuries, depressions, and outpatient needs as well.
We were able to visit with Rusty Hill the owner of Panama City Toyota! He had Santa out at the dealership, kids were invited to come by and see Santa as well as to meet Faith. I met up with my MySpace buddy Elaina and her dog Sugar! That was really cool, and we met Ashlen, a little 14 year old girl who was determined not to let life get in her way of living! Ashlen's photo is on my photo gallery, she's the beautiful little curly haired girl holding Faith in her lap. We loved so many things about PC that I just have to close by saying that our stay was topped off by a mall speaking engagement where I met the Mayor herself, Ms. Lauren DeGeorge, and she presented Faith and I a plaque from the HSBC (www.adoptme.org) and a key...we're hoping it's to the beach house! Hahaha
Oh, and I can't possibly say goodbye to his page without talking about the food! Oh, we went to Antonio's Pasta Grill, to die for!!! We ate at Bonefish Grill, you can Google it too! There we met up with Joe Chapman and Jim Barr of People's First Community Bank and they allowed us to come by the bank the next day to meet their happy employees. Looks like a great place to hang out I might add, everyone was smiling, and giving presents away!! My kind of job to say the least. Thanks guys for your help with the HSBC and for your continued love for your community of Panama City.
One last thank you....to “The Judy”, no questions please...she knows who she is. She was the coolest lady in the world, and I think she smiles at night just realizing how very persuasive she is....she's incredible....thanks for your support and love for my dog, and I have to say kiss-kiss to the Beagles too.
Jan, Wes, PLEASE...let me come back and dream on the beach again. Panama City will forever be embedded in my heart and memory. We were able to do a bit for the donations that came in from all sorts of great dog lovers and I couldn't possibly name them all, but have to say hi to Lynn and Katelyn Campbell..my NEW MySpace friends. Keep the prayers coming.