The Homestead community gathered in the heart of Downtown Homestead for the premiere of Soaring Higher, a short film celebrating Homestead’s past, present, and future as told by the people that contribute to its success every day. The film was Mayor Jeff Porter’s final State of the City Video Address and delved into Homestead’s journey through hardships and triumphs over the past 25 years, as well as recent developments and Homestead’s vision for a brighter future.
“This year, I wanted to do something a little different and really go back and showcase the history of Homestead,” said Mayor Jeff Porter as he introduced the film. “This isn’t going to show you just what we’ve done in the past year, but how far we’ve come thanks to the hard work of an entire community.”
After the premiere, Mayor Porter took to the stage again to give two special presentations—one to his wife, Cindy, for her dedicated service to the Homestead community, and the other to Homestead City Manager George Gretsas for his leadership and execution of stunning redevelopment projects in Homestead’s Historic Downtown.
Just as Mayor Porter started to leave the stage, two additional presentations were made, this time to Mayor Porter for his dedication and service in public office. The first came from the Miami-Dade County Mayor and Board of Commissioners recognizing Thursday, December 6, 2018 as Mayor Jeff Porter Day in Miami-Dade County. The second came from Miami-Dade County Public Schools thanking Mayor Porter for his dedication to helping the youth of Homestead.
Those in attendance then enjoyed a free catered reception provided by The Palace Gardens. Everyone from residents to city staff to elected officials and dignitaries mingled and enjoyed the crisp weather in Losner Park. The small pocket park was transformed into a beautifully lit outdoor theatre for the event and will be the subject of a major expansion next year.
Soaring Higher can now also be seen on the City of Homestead’s local access channel (Comcast 77, ATT in the Menu under Government TV), Facebook (www.facebook.com/CityofHomestead), and Vimeo (www.vimeo.com/cityofhomestead).