A statement attributed to Bette Davis – and many of you are old enough to remember her! – is “If you want a thing done well, get a couple of old broads to do it!”
This year’s recipient of the Islander Award can get it done all by herself and she is not quite old yet!
Those of us on the Island know that if we had a problem or needed something done – be it very small or very large – the answer has been – Call Christine. And the interesting thing is that you could contact her – speak directly with her or have a return email – and the task got done. What more can you ask? She has been a true public servant and not just for us, but for all of Fort Pierce.
I could go on and on with the projects she has championed for us but to name just a few –
Rebuilding of our Beach parks and particularly Causeway Beach Park
Dune Vegetation to keep us safer
Appropriate development on the Beach including the South Beach Overlay
A new turtle ordinance to keep them safer
And, most recently, after years – and I do mean years – mostly going it alone, she was responsible for the win/win negotiation between the City and County regarding City Parks and MSTU Monies resulting in over $600,000 that will come to the City for capital improvements in City Parks and the City taking over certain County parks within the City. This was a most complicated issue that I will not attempt to explain it all here. Suffice to say, she was like the proverbial bulldog – never giving up!
And she is never too busy to step in and help with mundane chores such as putting stamps and labels on envelops for the SBA membership mailing.
Christine Coke has been a best friend to the Beach and, whatever her capacity, I know that she will continue to work for our best interests.
Ladies and Gentlemen, the 2010 recipient of the South Beach Association’s Islander Award and she didn’t know that this was happening – Christine Coke.