100 Central Florida

Our panel of 100 influential leaders discusses the most important issues affecting you. To read responses from more Central Florida 100 participants, go to OrlandoSentinel.com/cf100

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE MEMORY OF EASTER OR OTHER SPRING HOLIDAYS?

SALLY STARR, Lee Constantine, commissioner, Seminole County: At 4, I was in “love” with a TV kids’ show host named Sally Starr. She dressed like a cowgirl, sporting six-shooters and platinum hair. Mom took me to a local department store where Sally was hosting an Easter pageant, and unbeknown to me, a “Little Mister and Miss Delaware” contest. The number of children dwindled as we paraded onstage, but still no Sally Starr! Suddenly, with only two kids left — a pretty curly-haired girl and me — Sally approached us with huge Easter baskets. Declaring us the winners, she asked me to kiss the little girl. Horrified, I jumped offstage crying, never to watch Sally again.

FAITH AND FAMILY, Camille Evans, managing partner, Virtus LLP: In the Black community, Easter is traditionally a treasured holiday marked by worshipping together, enjoying good food and fun, and most definitely plenty of fresh outfits. More than just Easter eggs and baskets full of gifts, the joyous time spent with family reflecting on the power of resurrection victory always reminds me of the strength of our family’s legacy and enduring faith. In my family, our faith has carried generation after generation as we persevere and hold on to the hope that our latter years will be greater than our former.

MORNING SURPRISES, Francisco Gonzalez, philanthropy director, National Review Institute: My favorite Easter memory was waking up to Easter baskets filled with goods left by the Easter Bunny — the centerpiece: a big chocolate Easter bunny. We would also find footprints in the living room giving us evidence that the Easter Bunny actually visited our home. In addition, I remember going outside with one of my brothers and other kids in our neighborhood and doing Easter egg hunts with them. Years later when I went to college, my mother sent an Easter basket — which was quite a surprise — and suspiciously like the ones the Easter Bunny used to leave us.

MISTAKEN IDENTITY, David Kay, rabbi, Congregation Ohev Shalom: When our son was in the second grade, right around this time of year, his teacher gave the class a “Who am I?” worksheet — things like, “I ride on a big red truck and put out fires — who am I?” He came home from school that day terribly upset. The teacher had marked one of his answers wrong, and he couldn’t understand why. He’d even gotten into a row with her over it. The question read, “I hop around and deliver eggs — who am I?” Our son had answered, logically enough for a rabbi’s kid, “A chicken.”

KING’S LETTER, Jeremy Levitt, distinguished professor of international law, Florida A&M University College of Law: Martin Luther King Jr. spent Easter Sunday 1963 in a Birmingham jail. This week commemorates the 58th anniversary of his decision to defy an injunction designed to jail him and other protesters for demonstrating in public in Birmingham as part of an economic boycott of racially segregated stores. On Good Friday 1963, he led a march from the 16th Street Baptist Church to City Hall and was arrested, charged and jailed for violating the injunction. On Easter Sunday, he wrote one of America’s most famous racial justice speeches, Letter From Birmingham Jail, from a racially segregated jail cell. It was inspired by Jesus; read it!

MUSLIM KINSHIP, Muhammad Musri, president, Islamic Society of Central Florida: Each spring, I recall childhood memories of my Christian neighbors and friends celebrating Easter and sharing special sweets. Even though Muslims do not celebrate Easter, they do feel close kinship to Christians because Muslims recognize Jesus as a great Prophet and God’s Messenger. He is highly loved and respected by Muslims as he is mentioned 33 times in the Quran. Muslims believe in his ascension though not the crucifixion or resurrection. Our shared love for Jesus makes this time of the year very special as we all celebrate the amazing life and teachings of Jesus, which inspire all of us.

EASTER SNOWFALL, Pamela Nabors, president/CEO, CareerSource Central Florida: Fondly, I remember a very snowy Easter in April when I still lived in Buffalo. It looked like a Christmas postcard outside, except it was the second week in April. I certainly don’t miss the snow or cold, but I do miss being with friends and family. This year, my twin sisters are traveling from Buffalo to visit me (and to escape the cold) and we’re re-creating our favorite holiday dinner of ham and scalloped potatoes. Maybe I’ll get lucky and they’ll bring me some yummy sponge candy, too, for my Easter basket.

EGGS AND PANCAKES, Brendan O’Connor, editor in chief, Bungalower.com: Back in the day, my family was heavily involved in the local Scout groups, so each Easter my brother and I would be recruited to help run a fundraising pancake breakfast and egg hunt. The best part, besides the copious amounts of pancakes we were allowed to eat, was the treading through waist-high snow to find the eggs. My mom worked for weeks stuffing bright plastic eggs with pieces of paper that had numbers scrawled onto them that we would cash in at the end of the hunt for prizes that corresponded to what was written inside. Epic.

NEW SUIT, Paul Partyka, past president, Central Florida Commercial Association of Realtors: Growing up in Philadelphia, Easter was a special day for me. Every Easter my mom took me to Adams Men’s Clothes and bought me a new suit so that I could wear it to Easter Mass. For this particular Easter — I must have been 10 or 11 — I picked out a suit. I still remember it well, it was double-breasted, fitted, subtle plaid weave and I felt like I owned the world. I had a little showoff attitude as I went to Mass so that all my friends could see how sharp I looked. It’s amazing that I still remember that.

BEHIND THE POLE, Gloria Pickar, president, League of Women Voters of Orange County: As a modern interfaith family, we celebrated both Passover and Easter. We professed to have the best of both worlds and considered both of our religions and cultures life blessings. A favorite memory was a scenario that repeated year after year. Out of respect, my obliging but entertaining husband dutifully attended Easter Sunday with the family at St. John Lutheran Church in Winter Park. The sanctuary requires several poles to support the expansive ceiling. Overflowing with parishioners every Easter, seating was limited. With a wink he would announce to all those around him, “I’m Jewish; I always get seated behind the pole.”

EGG HUNT, Larry Pino, attorney and entrepreneur: Newly married with our firstborn, I remember the opportunity Janet and I had to bring our sweetie pie to Winter Park’s Central Park for his initial experience with an Easter-egg hunt. It was a beautiful day. Park Avenue was lined with proud parents and their animated young ones dressed in multicolored spring clothes. The blank gun fired and hundreds of screaming, shrieking toddlers ran hither and yon — some on their own and some with moms and dads — scrambling for anything they could grab. We’ve celebrated many Easters since, but that first experience shared with others still brings joy to my soul.

GETTING THE MESSAGE, Joanie Schirm, GEC founding president; World Cup Orlando 1994 Committee chairman: My Easter memories rarely revolve around Christian messaging of the springtime celebration of rebirth. Mine come with commercial background music, like “Here Comes Peter Cottontail,” as my siblings and I paraded in our Easter attire, often sewn by my mother. On Easter Sunday, after hunting for eggs soaked in intense pastel dyes, we went to our Presbyterian church for a show of dresses and hats and a taste of Easter’s true meaning. Late in life, having discovered more about my father’s heritage, I realize the Jewish tradition of Passover, celebrating liberation from bondage, transitioning from suffering to joy, shares the same central message. Let’s heal our broken world.

LAMB CAKE, Beverly Seay, chair, UCF Board of Trustees: I used to make special themed cakes for my daughters, especially on their birthdays. For Easter, I would make a red velvet cake in the shape of a lamb. It was tricky to make the icing look like a woolly coat. One Easter, my college-aged daughter decided she would make the lamb cake, but it turned out looking like her pug. We all remember that Easter and the Easters when I forgot where I randomly hid the Easter candy, only to find it months later. Now that my granddaughters are baking, we will have new Easter cake memories.

A SLICE OF AMERICANA, Michael Slaymaker, professional fundraising executive: I grew up Catholic in rural Iowa and was an altar boy. So, Easter was a long weekend of events. Holy Thursday, Good Friday, Holy Saturday and Easter Sunday — sometimes sunrise Mass. But, as a little kid, the fondest memory was going up to the park in the town square. The local Knights of Columbus would hide Easter eggs in the park for us to find. One of the Knights would wear the Easter Bunny outfit and we would all go up and get a basket of candy. It was Americana at its finest. I love and cherish that upbringing.

SPRING AWAKENING, Carol Wick, CEO, Sharity: Growing up in the Midwest, Easter coincided with the arrival of spring. The daffodils, tulips and lilies were almost always in full bloom. The dogwood and apple trees would be pink with blossoms. And little children would be decked out in colorful frocks and hats and shiny white shoes. The vivid colors, the scent of flowers and the squeals of joy at finding an Easter egg or piece of chocolate are what bring a smile to my face to this day. Easter brings a promise of renewal and rebirth. And after a year of fear, anger and mourning, we all need that.

FAMILY FUN, Michael Zais, political blogger for thedrunkenrepublican.com: Easter, like other holidays, always meant fun extended family gatherings. Lots of eating, drinking, and jocularity — even the occasional heated political discussion. The latter was awkward for most, but thoroughly enjoyed by a political junkie like myself. Also, it was always fun watching my kids when they were young, running around the yard having a ball searching for (partially) hidden plastic Easter eggs. It looked like so much fun, in fact, I tried to create something similar for the adults — hiding beers instead of eggs. Sadly, it never caught on.