Linda wasn’t looking for a party. And the coronavirus did its best to try to curtail a celebration.
But not even a pandemic could stop us from saying a public thank you for Linda’s 23 years of bold service to the community she loves.
Soon after the start of Linda’s well-deserved retirement, the Community Foundation of Broward held the Linda Carter Day Celebration Day for our former President/CEO.
To host the socially distant extravaganza, we picked one of Linda’s favorite Fort Lauderdale spots – Hugh Taylor Birch State Park.
There a parade of well-wishers drove by in cars decorated with streamers, flags and giant cutout photos of Linda’s smiling face. Board members, Fundholders and others in our philanthropy family shared warm wishes through rolled-down windows as Linda watched and waved from her spot in the shade.
After the parade, the Community Foundation’s talented professional team that Linda helped assemble as well as a several Board members gathered for an intimate, oceanside reception at the park’s Terramar Visitor Center – with attendees decked out in new BE BOLD face masks.
Later that evening, the Fort Lauderdale City Commission issued a proclamation declaring Sept. 15, 2020 “Linda Carter Day,” in honor of Linda’s “23 years of dedicated service to the Community Foundation of Broward” and “a lifetime of community activism.”
During the Commission meeting, held via video conference, Mayor Dean Trantalis recalled working with Linda on many community projects through the years. “It’s been an absolute pleasure, not only to work side by side with you, but to see your empathetic devotion to many of the beneficiaries (of) the Community Foundation,” the mayor told Linda.
And that’s not all. Earlier in the day – before a parade of honking cars and the proclamation from City Hall – the Community Foundation dedicated a bench at Hugh Taylor Birch State Park in honor of Linda. Now this shaded spot in the midst of an urban oasis serves as a permanent reminder of Linda’s commitment to local philanthropy.
“I’m humbled by all this hoopla. I was just doing my job,” Linda said, standing beside her bench and thanking the Foundation Board and staff. “This is a team sport. … Together we accomplished great things.”
Of course, after years of work leading the Community Foundation Linda didn’t need a parade or a proclamation or even a plaque on a bench to show she made a difference for Broward. Linda’s fingerprints can be found all over the community she calls home.
Public art projects that inspire and unite our community. Career training and affordable housing opportunities that help struggling residents become self-sufficient. A greater safety net for former foster children and aging seniors alike. Thanks to Linda’s leadership, the Community Foundation’s bold impact is felt all across Broward.
And even in retirement, Linda’s bold impact has only just begun. You see, Linda didn’t just spend 23 years encouraging others to step up for Broward – she leads by example. Linda is both a Fundholder and Legacy Society member at the Community Foundation.
Thanks to the power of her endowed charitable Fund, the Community Foundation will make sure Linda’s bold impact never ends.
To contact the Community Foundation of Broward, you can email info@cfbroward.org and call 954-761-9503.
