The Village of Palmetto Bay, in partnership with Mercedes-Benz of Cutler Bay, will show appreciation for police, firefighters, and EMS personnel on Wednesday, Nov. 29, with “First Responders Appreciation Day.”
Village officials also have announced a poster and poem contest open to elementary school students in Palmetto Bay as part of the event.
The village’s first responders are being invited to go to Village Hall that day a free breakfast or lunch — or both — in appreciation for their dedicated service to the community, according to Saylin Paez, Events and Programs supervisor for the village. This event took place last year as well.
“Stop by for a to-go breakfast or lunch or, if your schedule permits, stay and eat with us,” Paez said. “Breakfast will take place from 6 to 8 a.m. and lunch will go from 1 to 4 p.m. Enjoy seeing and reading elementary students’ artworks and poems, as they express their appreciation for first responders.”
Paez asks that those planning to attend the special event RSVP at www.palmettobay-fl.gov before Nov. 24.
The deadline for students to enter the poster and poem contest is Monday, Nov. 20.
The contest is open to all hindergarten through third grade students in Palmetto Bay schools. There are specific contest rules depending upon the child’s grade level, but all of them are encouraged to create something original for the contest theme: “What do first responders mean to my community?” For kindergarten and first grade students it is a poster contest; for second and third grade students it is a poetry contest.
Also common to all grade levels, all work must be done by hand, not on a computer, and entries should not display names of commercial products, companies or organizations. In other words, there is to be no advertising, just honest expressions of appreciation and support.
Entries must be no smaller than 8-1/2 by 11 inches and no larger than 14 by 18 inches.
Complete contest details are posted on Facebook at www.facebook.com/events/1535752549838273/.
There is no limit to the number of entries per school, as long as they are original work from students. The village will accept all entries, however each school is responsible to identify the top two entries as graded or rated by the school for each contest type.
“All poems must be ready for pickup by village staff at your school’s office on Monday, Nov. 20, by noon,” Paez said. “All poems and posters will be used to display and decorate our Police Department lobby. The top entries from each school will be judged by the mayor, council members and first responders. The winner will be announced by Monday, Dec. 4, and will receive an ice cream party for his or her class on a date of choosing by the school’s principal.”
For information, send email to the Parks & Recreation Department at events@palmettobay-fl.gov or call 305-259-1234.
