Wellington’s ‘Hometown Hero’

West Palm Beach’s annual Fourth on Flagler celebration had a little Wellington flair this year.

Wellington resident Sophia Eccleston was honored with the 2017 Hometown Hero award — one of the event’s big draws. The military ceremony included a tribute to all branches, a capella performances and the unfurling of a three-story American flag on the side of the Esplanade Grande building.

Eccelston, who served in the military from 1995-98, said the award should be shared by all of the county’s veterans.

“There are a lot of hometown heroes in Palm Beach County,” she said. “I’m just a small piece of that.”

Born in Jamaica, Eccleston followed her family to the United States before joining the U.S. Army at age 23. It was her way of giving back to her new home, she said. Matt Morgan

After six months of training, she was sent to Heidelberg, Germany, where she worked as a logistics specialist, overseeing the supply rooms for the troops. Eccleston came back to the States in 1997, serving a year at Hunter Army Airfield in Savannah, Georgia, before she was honorably discharged.

“Being in the Army was one of the best experiences of my life,” Eccleston said. “I’ve taken the skills that I’ve learned in the Army, and it has taken me throughout my career.”

She enjoyed the military life so much that she took a civilian job making sure soldiers had their infrastructure needs met during the Iraq war. Eccleston spent a year living in a tent in Djibouti — a country so hot it makes even South Florida’s summers seem mild.

Eccleston then moved to Dubai but wanted to get a house in Palm Beach County where she had family. In 2009, she settled in Wellington because of the good schools — her son was in middle school back then — and low crime.

“When my son was here, I felt safe,” she said. “I felt like he could walk to the bus stop, and I didn’t have to worry about it.”

Plans to take two years off before finding her next career didn’t last.

Though she liked picking her son up from school and spending time with him, boredom eventually set in.

Eccleston found a job as an external affairs manager for Florida Power & Light

Co. Her son is now in college and she has spread her wings, too, serving as a board member for several nonprofits including Homeless Coalition of Palm Beach County, Executive Women of The Palm Beaches and the Florida Women’s Business Center.