Page 40 - Life In Naples Magazine December 2014 Edition
P. 40
the first female elected to the Florida House of
Representatives from Collier County. She served
for ten consecutive terms and retired undefeated
in 1994.
Rep. Hawkins still remains the longest serving
State Representative from Collier County, whose
success lies in her guiding motto: To thine own
MARY ELLEN thou canst not then be false to any man.
self be true, and it must follow, as the night the day,
Someone in her Alabama heritage must have shared advice on
HAWKINS with his son, Laertes, although thankfully for Collier County; Mary
how to live life well, just like Shakespeare’s character, Polonius shared
Ellen fared better than Laertes and Polonius.
Lewis Andrews, author of To Thine Own Self Be True, addresses
the value how psychologically healthy it is to act ethically, to treat
THANKS FOR THE MEMORIES
what’s right and to tell the truth. In a world where the lines of pretense
by Lois Bolin others well, to conduct yourself with very little pretense, to try to do
and truth telling can be blurred, this single mother with three small
Old Naples Historian children entered the political fray in an area known as Florida’s ‘final
B ob Hope, who is perhaps best know for his melody, “Thanks colleagues and constituents.
frontier.’ Staying true to her ‘self’, she soon earned the respect of her
for the Memories”, said that when we recall Christmas past, we
Rep. Hawkins played a major role in securing many legislative
usually find that the simplest things-not the great occasions-
initiatives, which still enhance our Quality of Place and economic
give off the greatest glow of happiness. This December 9th, in
sustainability today. Her foresight to establish the Big Cypress Basin
Downtown Old Naples, we will find a glow of happiness among within the Southwest Florida Water Management District allowed
young and seasoned alike at the annual City of Naples Christmas our community to become the world-class destination that it is
Parade. today. Why? Now resident’s tax money taken for water management
For the past five years, my glow of happiness has come from
purposes would stay in Collier County. After her retirement, the Big
working with the City of Naples Community Services Department, Cypress Basin administrative building was named in her honor.
hosting the duties of developing a yearly theme, gathering judges and Florida Southwestern State College (FSW) is now benefiting
collecting prizes for the parade contest winners, who are announced from her steadfastness to achieve equality in athletics for girls. FSW
at the televised City Council meeting the week following the parade Softball Coach, Robert Iamurri, who was recently inducted into the
on December 17th at 8:30 a.m. With my duties comes the pleasure of Florida High School Athletic Association Coaches Hall of Fame,
submitting candidates for The Honorary Grand Marshall, whose life said that because of Rep. Hawkins’ efforts in 1988 to provide the same
radiates the theme within our community and its history. educational opportunities given to boys, approximately 1000 girls in
Community Services and Mayor Sorey agreed that former House Florida have earned softball scholarships.
of Representatives, Mary Ellen Hawkins, is most befitting as the Shortly before leaving office in 1994, the University of South
Honorary Grand Marshall for our theme, Memories of a Naples Florida called Rep. Hawkins to inform her that they had just
Christmas. Mary Ellen began making her Naples memories in 1972. awarded its first full athletic scholarship to a female softball player
Two years later she began making history as the first Republican and from Naples. This past June, the Florida State Gators won their first
NCAA softball championship.
With an ever-watchful eye over Collier County, Rep. Hawkins
heeded the cultural call in 1989 to help secure $3.4 million dollars
from the State of Florida to launch the Naples Philharmonic, now
ARTIS-Naples.
After retirement, she continued to have a strong influence on
Southwest Florida and for those of us who are fortunate enough to
speak with her from time to time, we feel better knowing she still has
her fingers on the pulse of issues impacting our community.
To pay tribute to a woman whose courage, character and
competence has inspired so many, we will film the parade-live-to
the City of Naples television channel (Comcast 98). It’s a big step
for all involved but in light of this year’s theme, the best and worst
that can happen is we will create a glowing ‘Naples Memory’ inspired
by our Honorary Grand Marshall, to whom we say, “Thanks for the
memories and your service.”
40 Life in Naples | December 2014
Representatives from Collier County. She served
for ten consecutive terms and retired undefeated
in 1994.
Rep. Hawkins still remains the longest serving
State Representative from Collier County, whose
success lies in her guiding motto: To thine own
MARY ELLEN thou canst not then be false to any man.
self be true, and it must follow, as the night the day,
Someone in her Alabama heritage must have shared advice on
HAWKINS with his son, Laertes, although thankfully for Collier County; Mary
how to live life well, just like Shakespeare’s character, Polonius shared
Ellen fared better than Laertes and Polonius.
Lewis Andrews, author of To Thine Own Self Be True, addresses
the value how psychologically healthy it is to act ethically, to treat
THANKS FOR THE MEMORIES
what’s right and to tell the truth. In a world where the lines of pretense
by Lois Bolin others well, to conduct yourself with very little pretense, to try to do
and truth telling can be blurred, this single mother with three small
Old Naples Historian children entered the political fray in an area known as Florida’s ‘final
B ob Hope, who is perhaps best know for his melody, “Thanks colleagues and constituents.
frontier.’ Staying true to her ‘self’, she soon earned the respect of her
for the Memories”, said that when we recall Christmas past, we
Rep. Hawkins played a major role in securing many legislative
usually find that the simplest things-not the great occasions-
initiatives, which still enhance our Quality of Place and economic
give off the greatest glow of happiness. This December 9th, in
sustainability today. Her foresight to establish the Big Cypress Basin
Downtown Old Naples, we will find a glow of happiness among within the Southwest Florida Water Management District allowed
young and seasoned alike at the annual City of Naples Christmas our community to become the world-class destination that it is
Parade. today. Why? Now resident’s tax money taken for water management
For the past five years, my glow of happiness has come from
purposes would stay in Collier County. After her retirement, the Big
working with the City of Naples Community Services Department, Cypress Basin administrative building was named in her honor.
hosting the duties of developing a yearly theme, gathering judges and Florida Southwestern State College (FSW) is now benefiting
collecting prizes for the parade contest winners, who are announced from her steadfastness to achieve equality in athletics for girls. FSW
at the televised City Council meeting the week following the parade Softball Coach, Robert Iamurri, who was recently inducted into the
on December 17th at 8:30 a.m. With my duties comes the pleasure of Florida High School Athletic Association Coaches Hall of Fame,
submitting candidates for The Honorary Grand Marshall, whose life said that because of Rep. Hawkins’ efforts in 1988 to provide the same
radiates the theme within our community and its history. educational opportunities given to boys, approximately 1000 girls in
Community Services and Mayor Sorey agreed that former House Florida have earned softball scholarships.
of Representatives, Mary Ellen Hawkins, is most befitting as the Shortly before leaving office in 1994, the University of South
Honorary Grand Marshall for our theme, Memories of a Naples Florida called Rep. Hawkins to inform her that they had just
Christmas. Mary Ellen began making her Naples memories in 1972. awarded its first full athletic scholarship to a female softball player
Two years later she began making history as the first Republican and from Naples. This past June, the Florida State Gators won their first
NCAA softball championship.
With an ever-watchful eye over Collier County, Rep. Hawkins
heeded the cultural call in 1989 to help secure $3.4 million dollars
from the State of Florida to launch the Naples Philharmonic, now
ARTIS-Naples.
After retirement, she continued to have a strong influence on
Southwest Florida and for those of us who are fortunate enough to
speak with her from time to time, we feel better knowing she still has
her fingers on the pulse of issues impacting our community.
To pay tribute to a woman whose courage, character and
competence has inspired so many, we will film the parade-live-to
the City of Naples television channel (Comcast 98). It’s a big step
for all involved but in light of this year’s theme, the best and worst
that can happen is we will create a glowing ‘Naples Memory’ inspired
by our Honorary Grand Marshall, to whom we say, “Thanks for the
memories and your service.”
40 Life in Naples | December 2014
