Golden Gate Gazette,
December 23, 2004
Dear Santa,
It has been nearly 40 years that a Tuff family member has been writing this annual letter to you from some weekly newspaper across America. This year, the tradition continues in the Everglades.
First of all, thanks for the great gift of more public support for this newspaper and the means to help fund progress in its pages. We are thankful for our long-time and new advertisers that fill this issue with Christmas greetings.
It’s a real joy to see so many faces spreading good cheers in stories, photos and through local businesses in their advertisements this week. We’ve received quite a few good comments from people about improvements to the Gazette and its website. Please bring us the gift of insight as we plan a complete redesign of the newspaper some time after the first of the year.
Since you brought our gifts early this year, I’ve got a few requests for those who are watching out for this community.
Santa, we continue to see our community improve in so many ways with tremendous investment in the community in the form of new homes and commercial ventures that have replenished the government coffers to provide good services and appreciation of our homes.
Please give our local government leaders and citizens wisdom in leadership positions as they try to keep ahead of future growth issues and stay on task to make the community a better place to work and live.
Please give our deputies, firefighters and EMTs safety in their duties and compassion in their service. Give our pastors patience in building their congregations and put the thought of church and synagogue attendance in the minds of those who have not visited for a while.
Our teachers are happy with the Christmas break, Santa, but could sure use a little extra dose of humor and patience, now and then, as they teach our children. Give each family, regardless of income, the knowledge that it is the amount of love – not gifts – that truly will be remembered as our children grow to adulthood.
Thanks, Santa, for the wonderful gifts of community volunteers, especially those involved in the many civic and fraternal groups that are a true gift to our community. Give them each a foot massager so they can put their feet up now and then.
With that, I will close this letter with joyful celebration and thanks for the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ, whom this Christmas Season is all about! Sincerely,
Russell Tuff
First of all, thanks for the great gift of more public support for this newspaper and the means to help fund progress in its pages. We are thankful for our long-time and new advertisers that fill this issue with Christmas greetings.
It’s a real joy to see so many faces spreading good cheers in stories, photos and through local businesses in their advertisements this week. We’ve received quite a few good comments from people about improvements to the Gazette and its website. Please bring us the gift of insight as we plan a complete redesign of the newspaper some time after the first of the year.
Since you brought our gifts early this year, I’ve got a few requests for those who are watching out for this community.
Santa, we continue to see our community improve in so many ways with tremendous investment in the community in the form of new homes and commercial ventures that have replenished the government coffers to provide good services and appreciation of our homes.
Please give our local government leaders and citizens wisdom in leadership positions as they try to keep ahead of future growth issues and stay on task to make the community a better place to work and live.
Please give our deputies, firefighters and EMTs safety in their duties and compassion in their service. Give our pastors patience in building their congregations and put the thought of church and synagogue attendance in the minds of those who have not visited for a while.
Our teachers are happy with the Christmas break, Santa, but could sure use a little extra dose of humor and patience, now and then, as they teach our children. Give each family, regardless of income, the knowledge that it is the amount of love – not gifts – that truly will be remembered as our children grow to adulthood.
Thanks, Santa, for the wonderful gifts of community volunteers, especially those involved in the many civic and fraternal groups that are a true gift to our community. Give them each a foot massager so they can put their feet up now and then.
With that, I will close this letter with joyful celebration and thanks for the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ, whom this Christmas Season is all about! Sincerely,
Russell Tuff
P.S. I’ll leave cookies and milk out for you and they won’t be those low fat ones my wife buys. They’ll be the good ones.