Our 2016 Valentine’s Day Contest was the cause of passionate conversation during a LynnValleyLife meeting in January. We’d had a great response in the past to our “What Do You Love About Lynn Valley?” and “What’s Your Nickname for Your Loved One?” contests and we wanted to tap into our community heart yet again.
We know that Valentine’s Day isn’t just for the dreamy-eyed, star-struck lovers amongst us. As any parent who has helped a child painstakingly craft 30 Valentine’s cards for their school chums knows, there are all sorts of friendships and affections to be celebrated on February 14.
So this year we decided to highlight the parent-child bond – one that is an ongoing and irreplaceable influence in our lives. And are we ever glad we did! When we invited you to send in your hopes for a Daddy-Daughter or Mother-Son Valentine’s dinner at Browns Socialhouse, every story we received was lovely. We wished we could rent out the whole restaurant to take you all out for some special parent-child time!
Here, though, are the neighbours amongst us who will be heading out to Browns to celebrate Valentine’s Day with their Mom, Dad, Son, or Daughter. We hope these excerpts from their letters remind all Lynn Valley parents and kids how special they are.
Here’s an excerpt from the letter Leanne Taylor sent us about her son Travis, a defensive lineman and centre offensive lineman on the Argyle Senior Varsity football team:
I am a very proud mother of two amazing young men but today I am writing to enter this contest as I would love to celebrate this date with my younger son, Travis Ring (age 17).
Travis has always been special. His stature is enormous (6’3 and 240 lbs) yet he’s a gentle giant towards family, younger children and animals. He’s an old soul with an amazing sense of humour. He’s an introvert by choice but in a group makes people laugh. He loves music, sports, and his big brother Troy.
He tells me every day he loves me – often twice a day and even throws in a hug. Every time he says it I remind myself that as a mom – I think I might have just done something right!
I would like to win this contest and to spend this special evening with Travis because I simply want him to know that he is special, how much I love him and that I am proud of him – no matter where his future path takes him. As a Grade 12 student at Argyle, the pressure to choose his future is mounting. I want him to know that as he searches to find himself and his true purpose in life, I will always be here for him.
And we know you’ll like this nomination from Cheryl Green, hoping to send her husband Tim and daughter Olivia to Browns:
Olivia is the sweetest, funniest, quirky, full of life, prettiest pre-teen I know and I know her dad feels the same about her.
I told her to always be herself, and one day she will find someone as awesome as her dad to love. A girl’s gauge on what she is looking for in true love should always reflect her dad….especially when he is the best dad in the world. I know my dad was the best dad ever, so Tim had big boots to fill. He has succeeded to overflow.
With our busy life of work, volunteering, dance and appointments I would love for Tim and Olivia to have a special daddy/daughter dinner together. After all, he is her first true love.
And we are so glad Robyn Hickman put in a bid for some Mother-Daughter time, too:
I realize that it is meant to be a contest for moms and sons or dads and daughters but I am a single mom of a sweet little six-year-old girl, and I am hoping that we might be allowed to enter, too.
My daughter Abby is the light of my life, she is kind, smart, brave and strong. Our little family has been through some hard times over the past two years, but my tiny girl has always had a smile on her face and a hug for her mom.
My daughter is one of the sweetest people I know and will tell you that the most important thing in life is to be kind. And kind she is. Time goes quickly; each day I can see her getting a little bit more grown up and I know how important it is for us to treasure all of our time together.
And we hope that Doug and Meescha Argatoff have a great, errand-free time just enjoying each other’s company at Browns:
I would like to send my husband and daughter out for a bite to eat on Valentine’s Day because even though they do spend time together during the day it isn’t one-on-one, face-to-face time. Their time together is usually in the car to and from school, or shopping to get our groceries. They rarely get out to do “Father and Daughter things” and I think this would be a perfect thing for them to have some Father and Daughter fun time.
Congratulations to all our winners (how did we ever possibly imagine we could pick just one?) and very best Valentine’s wishes to all our Lynn Valley friends and neighbours. You make this community the wonderful place it is!
