We had THE HARDEST time selecting our winning couple! You all were amazing sharing your love stories with us, as well as the reasons why you wanted to become our date night ambassadors. We enjoyed reading every single one of your applications, but we had to pick one couple…
So without further ado, drumroll please!! … The moment you all have been waiting for is here! May we present to you, Sanford’s first ever Date Night Ambassadors, Tracy and Mike Polomski!
CONGRATULATIONS!!! We are SO excited to read about their date night adventures around town and can’t wait to share them here on the blog with you.
Tracy won us over with a heartfelt application confessing her love for Sanford to us! Both, Jessica and I could really feel her passion for our town, community and all the small businesses within it.
If you want to get started please go ahead and follow Tracy on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/tracytakesiton/ Tracy and Mike already had their first date night this past weekend so you will see a few of their photos on there already, but more about that tomorrow on the blog when they share their very first date night experience in Sanford as official Sanford Date Night Ambassadors!!
A little bit about Tracy and Mike (taken from their application):
“My husband and I go wayyyyy back…. all the way to 1999! We met on our college campus in Pennsylvania while we were both walking to grab a bite to eat. We hit it off immediately. So much so that we agreed to hang out again that night and basically we never stopped hanging out since.
Right after college he decided to pursue a career in Florida in the construction industry. I honestly had no idea what I wanted to be when I was grown up so I got a job a a local British style pub and started cooking sling fries to save up money to move to Florida. Mike moved to Florida in July of 2001. I quickly followed on September 21, 2001…. not even 2 weeks after 9-11. I came by Amtrak train, with only 2 suitcases. Mike picked me up at the downtown station on Sept 22, 2001. We settled in Lake Mary in our first “together” apartment but eventually decided to build our own home. That first home was in Sanford, FL. We built in a subdivision called Woodsong (near the old Bill Heard Chevy). Soon after building the house we tied the knot at Leu Gardens. We eventually sold that home, just before the bubble popped in around 2007-2008. We rented for a bit behind the Walmart on Rinehart Rd, keeping “Sanford” as our mailing address. But this was only temporary. We quickly fell in love with a fixer upper in Heathrow. We have been here now for about 11 years.”
About Tracy’s LOVE for Sanford (shortened from her long but very entertaining application):
But here’s the thing…… I LOVE SANFORD!!!!! I started going to the Willow Tree Cafe about 10 years ago. I actually am known to celebrate my birthday there every year. This year will be year # 9 for my celebration dinner.
In July of 2012 our family grew by 1! We had a son, named Mason and that is when I decided to joined the Heathrow Modern Moms Club. As a member you are required to host outings, either for the moms and kids, just the moms or couples. Well, I always hosted the ones just for moms’ stuff because who doesn’t need a break from their kids??? Am I right???? Well, these requirements were great opportunities to introduce many moms the place I loved, Sanford.
It all started with a meet up at String Theory Creations. That is where I got to meet and eventually became friends with the amazing Hollerbach family. I hosted probably 4-5 bracelet beading events with Christina and Linda. Each time bringing one step closer to my dream of becoming an honorary member of the Hollerbach family. Not only did I bring my mom troop to String Theory Creations, I hosted a LimoCycle ride (soon after they opened), Wondermade marshmallow making, and crafting making night at A. Clore Interiors. Most of these moms would not have been as exposed to Sanford if it were not for me… let’s be honest lol!
So not only am I hosting events in Sanford, introducing new people to town, I have a attended quite a few Then and Now Series, I have gone to see performances at Wayne Densch Theater, and gone to countless Alive After 5 festivals and Saturday festivals such as the Bad at Business Beer Fest, The Smores World Record Party, Touch a Truck (was just there this weekend), Halloween festivals at Celery City, Moms Club Couples Bar Crawl Scavenger hunt, to name a few.
I am a HUGE spokesperson for Sanford. I love this town and all it stands for. I love the people, the businesses, the supportiveness behind it all. It’s just something you don’t really find anymore. One of our all time favorite things to attend is Sofas and Suds couch races and the Christmas Parade. I have now gotten the Heathrow Modern Moms involved with the 327 Supper Club. That amazing Sanford-based 501c3 is assisting our moms club put on a Charity Chili Cook Off at Celery City next weekend (1/26)!
I have nothing bad to say about Sanford. It’s amazing on a level I almost can’t explain. It’s home to me… even though I don’t live there. I’m sure I am leaving something out… maybe how I walk into Hollerbach’s and I feel like it’s my Cheers because they know my name. How I can walk the Alive After 5 festivals and bump into friends randomly along the way. How I donated to Pets By Judy when my dog passed in December. Or how I picked up over $300 worth of German food to take on a 3 hour road trip to South Florida because my dad demanded it (he loves the Willow Tree, too). Or how the beautiful ornament that I got from the Jeanine Taylor Folk Art Gallery glistened on my tree this year.
OOOOH I just remembered!!!! PORCHFEST!!!!! Oh My God! This was an amazing festival!!!! I brought my hubby, my 5 year old son, my aunt, uncle and my dad. We loved walking the streets of Sanford, seeing the gorgeous houses and listening to all that great music! I am NOT missing the 2nd annual one, next month! …. see, I knew I was going to forget to put something in here that I just love about Sanford. Look no further, you found your couple!
The last line of my story above got me thinking…. Isn’t that what you want out of an ambassador? Someone who doesn’t live in Sanford but loves it as much if not more than an actual Sanford resident? I would think you want to draw people from other areas such as Winter Park, Ivanhoe Village, Mt Dora, etc. Well, that is why I am perfect! I don’t live there, but I am very close. So close I frequent that town on a weekly basis. I know many faces in that town and love to stop and get to know them all. I love to explore new places…. I love being the first to start the chatter about the next cool thing or place.
But here is the thing, me and the hubby like to stay close to home and Sanford is the best for that! It’s a quick Uber ride (so that we are safe because Sanford has so many delicious drinks). Hubby and I actually never go anywhere besides Sanford for our date nights, I mean, why would we??? I love spreading my love of Sanford. Oh, and I manage the Heathrow Community FB closed group page which is for Heathrow resident only. Do you know how many festival events I have shared on that page about the cool stuff in Sanford… so many I can’t count.
