June 24, 2024 • 40 mins
Wondering how a beauty queen and a dedicated mother combines both worlds to champion a cause close to her heart? Reigning Miss Universe TCP Melissa Parker joins us to share her personal journey of resilience and advocacy, inspired by her son Brendan's autism diagnosis. From founding the Parker Foundation for Autism to initiating inclusive and free programs for children, Melissa's story is a testament to the power of community involvement and the impact of creating safe, nurturing environments for those on the spectrum.
Ever found yourself trembling at the thought of public speaking? Melissa did too, but her path through pageantry and professional growth helped her conquer those fears. Dive into her transformative journey from aspiring fashion designer to a compassionate nurse, all while supporting her family's battles, including her father-in-law's fight against brain cancer and her daughter's challenges as a cheerleader with a broken foot. Melissa's tale of continuous learning and self-reinvention is packed with inspiration for anyone seeking to overcome social anxiety and achieve personal growth.
Families dealing with autism face unique stressors, and Melissa Parker offers practical, empathetic advice on how to support them. From managing sensory overload to organizing community events like the "Be a Buddy 5K," Melissa emphasizes the importance of kindness and mutual support. Plus, we explore her passion for art and community activities, including turning the Kiwi Tennis Club into an adaptive sports center. This episode is a compelling reminder of how interconnected our community efforts are in making a positive impact on the lives of those affected by autism.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:01):
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All right, melissa Parker, itis amazing to meet you.
It's so nice to meet you too.
Yes, I have heard so much aboutyou.
Speaker 2 (00:23):
Really yes, around town.
Hope it's good yes it's allgood.
Speaker 1 (00:25):
I mean one, meet you too.
Yes, I have heard so much aboutyou, really.
Yes, around town, hope it'sgood.
Yes, it's all good.
I mean one, you're gorgeous.
Speaker 2 (00:30):
Well, thank you for that.
Speaker 1 (00:30):
Two you are the reigning pageant queen of Miss
Universe, tcp Amazing.
And then, of course, yourParker Foundation for Autism.
That's my heart, I mean it'syou guys are doing amazing
things and really getting theword out there yeah.
Yeah, amazing, and you have afun party every year too right.
Speaker 2 (00:52):
We do Yep Sunday on the river, sunday on the river
we just had our second annual inour backyard right on the river
and it's been amazing.
So very, very thankful for, ohmy gosh, our community and our
sponsors and supporters justhave the best people behind us,
but that's what it's all about,absolutely so how did that get
started the Parker Foundation.
Speaker 1 (01:12):
Yeah, like how does one go about just being like?
This is my cause, and yeah, I'mgoing for it something.
Speaker 2 (01:20):
I just feel like it's something inside of you that
speaks to you that you're meantfor to do more.
Yeah, and that's where Ted andI were at.
So we knew we wanted to do more.
Brendan had been diagnosed.
He went through the ScottCenter.
He made good progress, but thenthey age out of the Scott
Center for Autism and FIT.
Speaker 1 (01:38):
So that's early intervention.
Speaker 2 (01:39):
It's ABA therapy.
That's one of the routes thatchildren around here in Brevard
County can take.
Okay, and we just knew wewanted to do more but we found
there was a lack of resources.
You know, I have another child,a daughter, who's a couple
years younger than Brendan.
Easy to find things for her todo, right, right, yes, not so
easy for our kiddos on thespectrum, right.
(02:00):
So just felt like we reallydidn't belong or have a fit.
And Ted and I were both avidathletes and I loved art and you
know, being a part of a teamwas so important to me as a kid.
I was an Air Force brat and soevery year, year and a half, I
was going to a new school andthe way that I kind of got
through that was jumping on.
(02:20):
You know, a team, a soccer team, you know softball team just
joining a group to be a part of,and that's not always easy for
our kids that are on thespectrum.
So, that's what we really wantedto do and that's where we knew
we had a fit, so to be able tojoin forces with our community
and existing resources and buildthem.
Speaker 1 (02:40):
Yeah, so you guys do like little events all
throughout the year.
Speaker 2 (02:45):
Yes, year long we do, and it's free.
Sports, arts and education forkids.
We do safety initiatives tolike.
Right now we're doing swimmingon the spectrum and that's
specifically for kids that areat high risk for drowning,
because it's the number onecause of death for kids with
autism.
They're drawn to water, theyelopeope, they don't have a fear
(03:05):
that fear factor is notnecessarily within them.
They're impulsive, and so theyjust find themselves in water
and then, unable, they can'tswim.
You know, a lot of them havesensory issues too.
So, right, um, we work rightnow with the special olympics.
So my son is a great swimmer,wow, and he's on the special
olympic swim team and after 2020, we were trying to find a new
home for this program and theywere nice enough to let us use
(03:29):
the shallow end of their pooland we have a trained swimming
professional that works with usand he has a daughter with
autism, so he's really in tuneto our children and the sensory
issues that they have, or theimpulsive nature, and he's very
just, calm and relaxed and heworks with our kids to help them
learn how to swim.
Speaker 1 (03:49):
That's wonderful.
Is there an age range for that?
Speaker 2 (03:52):
Everything we do right now is from like age four
is where we start, okay, andthen we go up to 22.
But I keep pushing that backbecause my son's almost 18.
He'll be 18 this year.
Yeah, so we just keep kind ofexpanding and we follow the
school board.
So 22 is when our kids withspecial needs can continue to
get services through that timeoh, wow yeah okay, yeah, that's
(04:17):
really good to know.
Speaker 1 (04:18):
Um, isn't autism the most uh the behavioral thing
that's the most uh growing inthe us?
If not, I don't know ifglobally yeah, it was one in 36.
Speaker 2 (04:30):
Yes, but I was just talking to my friends of the
brevard autism coalition and wewere talking about what those
statistics might be now and it'sthey're uh feeling like it
could be more in the one in uh20.
Speaker 1 (04:43):
Because it used to be like one in 150.
It was, and when Brendan wasdiagnosed it was one in 110.
Speaker 2 (04:49):
Wow, so yeah, very short amount of time.
What do you?
Speaker 1 (04:51):
think is happening there?
Speaker 2 (04:52):
Do you think it is just being diagnosed more, or do
you think it's like airpollution, a combination of
everything I really do feel likeenvironmental effects obviously
are really and we're gettingmore in tune to that and we know
here in America, like even thefoods that we eat like you know
in other countries, and this isreally coming to a head.
A lot of the chemicals andthings that we put in our foods
(05:12):
are not even allowed in othercountries.
Speaker 1 (05:14):
Yes, the dyes Exactly Number 40.
Speaker 2 (05:17):
Yes, yeah, and it's not just autism, you know, it's
ADHD, it's OCD, it's anxiety,it's, you know, sensory
processing.
So even if your kiddo doesn'tfall in the autism spectrum,
there's a lot of times when theycould be having these other
effects that are happening.
Yeah, I think we're seeing agrowth in those as well.
Speaker 1 (05:34):
Yeah, I know, I read about that all the time.
Even like like a vitamin Ddeficiency can throw you off
balance and our kids are insidea lot more.
They don't get out as much.
Speaker 2 (05:49):
You know what I mean Exactly Different times, you
know.
Speaker 1 (05:51):
but I think this is just a time of evolution for us
on many, many levels.
Speaker 2 (05:53):
Yes, so you know when we have difficulties like this,
you know, in society, you knowit's just time for growth.
Speaker 1 (05:58):
Yes, do you think there's anything to be done
about, like the food?
Speaker 2 (06:02):
I mean, obviously, I feel like we need to just get
out there with our legislativeteam, you know, and tell them
that this is not right.
Speaker 1 (06:11):
I think there needs to be a revolution there,
absolutely.
How does one start that?
I mean, yeah, talk to yourlegislators.
Speaker 2 (06:18):
Yeah, there's a lot of people out there that are
signing petitions.
And then you have to haveskilled people that aren't
afraid to go in front of yourlocal.
You know legislators and beable to speak with them, because
they're there to listen to you.
Yes, you know, yeah.
Speaker 1 (06:31):
I think, having your background too, I mean you could
be like an amazing leader forthat, or for even someone like
me, who who questions like howam I supposed to do anything
about the food that we feed ourkids, but it's really nice to
have you in our community.
Speaker 2 (06:44):
Oh well, thank you for that, I think too.
Just educating yourself yeah,you know and not eating as many
processed foods.
And let me tell you what havingtwo active teenagers and
working and having a businessand the Parker Foundation is
hard.
Believe me, convenience is soeasy.
Speaker 1 (06:59):
I know, I've cut out fast food from our household.
I mean we might visit once ortwice a year, but I mean growing
up we would go like once ortwice a week right, yep, yep,
yep.
Speaker 2 (07:09):
So things are different now.
Speaker 1 (07:11):
Yeah, so you do have a business on the side.
I do the screening business.
Speaker 2 (07:16):
Yeah, so it's Precision Screening and it's
actually a background screeningcompany, because Ted has a
staffing company, so IT Staffingand Solutions it.
Ted has a staffing company, soIT, staffing and solutions.
It's revolution technologies,oh wow.
And so after I'm still aregistered nurse, right, and I
keep my license active, I alwayswill, and I utilize that now as
a community leader, you know,for autism really great.
(07:36):
But in my spare time and it'skind of nice because I have a
lot of flexibility I just helpclear people or do tenant
screenings.
So it's just a very smallbusiness.
It's me and my brother actuallyI employ, yeah, and we do it
together, yep, and it's veryflexible.
Speaker 1 (07:51):
So what does that entail?
Like you, you do backgroundchecks and make sure they're
just a good candidate Right, Canyou?
Can you take on other clientsbesides your husband's?
Speaker 2 (08:01):
thing yeah, I mean his, obviously his company is is
it's nationwide, it'sworldwide's worldwide?
So it does get me pretty busy.
Speaker 1 (08:08):
Okay, but yes, I can.
Speaker 2 (08:10):
You just don't need to.
Speaker 1 (08:11):
That's right.
That's great, though.
Yeah, now did you grow up here?
You said you were in themilitary family, mm-hmm.
Speaker 2 (08:19):
Yep.
So I would say, junior high iswhen my dad was actually
transferred to Patrick Air ForceBase and then he worked here.
We lived at Patrick Air ForceBase and then I went to
Satellite High and that's whereI met my husband, ted.
Really, yeah, yep, and then mydad retired here and this has
been home base and pretty mucheveryone in our family has moved
down here, so this was yourlast move.
Speaker 1 (08:41):
This was it.
Yeah, that's really great.
And were you guys, uh, highschool sweethearts or did you
just?
Speaker 2 (08:46):
we dated a little bit we went to homecoming and um,
but it was our senior year andwe decided that you know, he was
going to go to UCF and I wasgoing to go to Brevard Community
College, which is now EasternFlorida.
Yeah, and I loved.
Speaker 1 (08:58):
BCC yeah.
Speaker 2 (09:00):
I took classes.
Speaker 1 (09:01):
It was amazing.
They also had like a reallygood summer program for kids.
Now I'm struggling to find likeall the pieces around town, yep
.
But yeah, I used to love PCC,yeah, and then your husband was
a.
He was a varsity player.
What?
Speaker 2 (09:16):
did he play?
He played football and tennis.
Oh wow, yep, and then played atUCF as well.
So you guys separated for fouryears.
It was actually 13 years.
So yeah, it was actually 13years.
So yeah, it was 13 years.
It was kind of a crazy story.
So 13 years later, I'm workingover in Orlando.
My sister was going to UCF sowe rented a house together and I
(09:36):
had a lot of friends over thereand just needed to get out of
Brevard County for a little bit,I could you know what I mean.
Yeah, so I went over there and Iwas working as a nurse at
Florida Hospital and one night Ihad to work 11 to 7 shift and
for some reason I just felt likeI needed to go to the gym, so
got to hit the LA Fitness beforemy 11 to 7 shift, which never
(09:58):
happened.
Speaker 1 (09:59):
That never happened before.
Speaker 2 (10:00):
So I just felt like I needed to go.
And sure enough, I'm on thetreadmill and I'm doing my
workout and I feel this guy nextto me kind of looking at me.
And I'm on the treadmill andI'm doing my workout and I feel
this guy next to me kind oflooking at me and I'm like
what's going on?
I think this guy's going totalk to me, you know, but I had
like I was just not about itthat night.
Speaker 1 (10:17):
I had a lot on my mind and he was persistent and
no.
Speaker 2 (10:19):
And then I came to find out, yeah, just well.
He then he's like hey, I thinkyou're you know, I think I know
you, I think you're you know.
Speaker 1 (10:26):
Missy Brooks and I'm like, yeah, I am, who are you it
?
Speaker 2 (10:28):
had been 13.
You know, like I said, I justhad my blinders on and I just
wasn't like out of nowhere,there he was.
But the funny thing about it wasthe night before, and if you
believe in bigger things, whichI totally do the night before I
was talking to my sister and Isaid you know, I wonder whatever
happened to that guy, teddyParker from high school, because
when he took me to homecomingmy dress ripped.
(10:48):
So getting out of the car mydress ripped and he had to take
me all the way home.
I had to change a dress andthen take me back to homecoming.
You know where the event washappening.
And I just thought that he hadhandled that so well, but for
some reason, out of nowhere, itjust came out.
Speaker 1 (11:04):
It just popped in your head.
Yeah, I believe in stuff likethat too.
Speaker 2 (11:09):
I mean that's crazy right, that's when you know
things are aligning exactly wow,so I had an hour talk on the
treadmill, yeah that makes theworkout go by quick.
Yeah, it did, I'm like we'vebeen here for an hour.
Do you usually work out thislong and I'm like I got to go to
work so I'm gonna have to saygoodbye.
But anyway, we exchangednumbers and then the rest is
history.
Speaker 1 (11:29):
Yeah, kind of cool right, yeah yeah, that is kind
of freaky though how it?
Just popped in your head andthen I know, right in front of
you, I know oh yeah that's cool.
How long was your courtshipfrom there?
Did you guys get married?
Speaker 2 (11:41):
it was pretty quick, yeah we were married within a
year yeah, that's great.
And then you guys had two kids.
Yep, we had Brendan pretty muchright away, because his dad was
actually not doing well, he hadbrain cancer.
So he had been battling cancersince he had retired from Harris
.
Speaker 1 (11:55):
Oh, wow.
Speaker 2 (11:56):
So that's kind of, yeah, that's rough.
And Ted is the youngest of nineand he has two brothers and
neither one of them had kids.
So, Ted, he has lots of sisters, They've had lots of kids, but
no one to carry on the Parkername.
And so you know.
Luckily we got pregnant rightaway and had Brendan, and his
(12:16):
dad got to help Brendan beforehe passed away.
Speaker 1 (12:19):
That's beautiful, oh wow.
Speaker 2 (12:21):
That's great.
Speaker 1 (12:21):
And then you have a daughter too.
Speaker 2 (12:23):
Yep, yep, carson, she's 14, almost 15.
How's that going good?
Yeah, she's a challenge.
She's a lot like dad actually.
She's a great negotiator.
She's going to be a good littlebusiness wonderful one day.
Yep, uh, but she's an MCCcheerleader.
She's actually at camp rightnow, uh, working with the the
littles for their cheer camp.
Speaker 1 (12:43):
Yeah, volunteering, I'm taking my kid to the
satellite one, oh good, wherethey?
Yeah, they'll take the highschoolers and yeah do a little
camp with them.
Yep, that's fun, yeah, and agood way to build responsibility
yep, yep, she loves it.
Speaker 2 (12:55):
She's like I get all of my community service hours
for the year in one week.
Speaker 1 (12:59):
That's perfect.
Doing what she loves.
That's what it's all about.
You know, it really is.
Yes, community service all theway right, great and driving
almost now.
Speaker 2 (13:09):
She did break her foot recently.
Oh, that's tough.
Speaker 1 (13:12):
Unfortunately broke his foot earlier.
Speaker 2 (13:14):
She's in a boot and she's scooting around and she's
on the craft table, which she'snot happy about because she's a
dancer and she wants to beteaching those girls how to
dance.
Yeah so she's like mama, Igotta do the art.
I'm not looking forward to it.
Speaker 1 (13:26):
Art is fun.
It's fun for me.
Yeah, do you do it often?
I know I've seen you pokearound Derek's studio, yep yep,
yep.
Speaker 2 (13:33):
So I've always been a lover of art.
When I went to satellite, mylast two classes in my senior
year were art.
So, I kind of took that and Iwanted to be a fashion designer.
That so I kind of took that andI wanted to be a fashion
designer.
That was what I really wantedto do, had that talk with my dad
and he wasn't about it.
Speaker 1 (13:51):
So nursing it was.
There was also like because Ipoked around that too.
There was a lack of schoolsthat actually specialized in
that in Florida and we weredoing like the Florida prepaid.
Speaker 2 (14:01):
So I was like.
Speaker 1 (14:02):
These are my choices.
Right?
I think there was one, Was itFlagler?
That offered fashion?
Speaker 2 (14:11):
design.
I'm not sure I had my heart seton going to New York City at
Parsons.
That's what I wanted to do yeah, he's like sorry, sis, that's
not happening, but you'renursing.
But the cool thing about lifeis no matter, and I think this
is what keeps you young is thatyou don't have to stop.
You can continue learning.
Listen, I have a big birthdaythis year and I'm just getting
(14:31):
started, so if I ever wanted togo back and be that fashion
designer 100%.
Speaker 1 (14:36):
You know, farrah Wang started at 40.
Yes, right.
So yeah, I always have that inthe back of my head too, and
it's like you know life is aboutreinventing yourself.
It is.
Speaker 2 (14:45):
That's what keeps it fresh.
Yes, yes so with the pageantry?
Speaker 1 (14:49):
has that been?
I mean, were you always apageant kid, or did that happen
later in life?
Speaker 2 (14:54):
So I used to sing and dance as a kid and I lived in
South Carolina and pageants werebig in the South.
Yes, so are.
So that's.
My mom had me in it and I lovedit, loved being on stage.
And then it came time for beingkind of a pre-teen and I got
really nervous on stage.
This is when you have to startspeaking on stage, you know, and
(15:15):
it was more about starting totalk about service work you know
, with different things and Ijust had a really hard time with
that.
I was a shy kid and just had adifficult time and my parents
were like I think you're donewith this.
You know you're more intosports, let's just focus on that
.
So, kind of hit, a little seedwas planted in my mind like I, I
(15:36):
had a difficult time withpublic speaking like this is not
good for me.
I would get really nervousabout it.
So I think a seed was plantedand later in life that sticks
with you, that kind of youidentified with it.
It really yeah, okay and then.
So as a nurse and trying to getyou know different um upper
level positions, I had a reallychallenging time with the public
(15:57):
speaking.
Yeah, and like advocating foryourself right, and so that's
not going to work.
If you want to be a manager,you know I made it to a certain
level in management, but I couldnever get past that point yeah
so then Brendan was born, gotmore.
I had my little desk job athome.
You, know, with my screeningbusiness, and so that was always
there, and I always struggledwith a little bit of social
(16:18):
anxiety too, and I think a lotof that was just being the new
kid in school all the time, allthe time yeah and being a shy
kid and also like.
Speaker 1 (16:26):
I'm sure, pageantry, you know, you get envy, you get
the mean girls saying like youknow.
Speaker 2 (16:32):
Yeah, yeah, you definitely can.
But I think as a missus it's alittle bit different and you
always put service at theforefront.
As a missus.
So I feel like when you'recoming from that place.
Speaker 1 (16:43):
I've never really had to deal Exactly.
Speaker 2 (16:46):
I've never really had to deal with that.
I've had a lot of support and Ithink that's why I stuck with
it, but the reason why I reallygot into it.
A friend of mine, dear friendof mine, joni Nathanson.
We were playing tennis and shesaid you know, melissa, I know
exactly what you're doing, youknow, for the autism community.
It's you stepping up to be acommunity leader.
Why don't you get intopageantry?
I had no idea that a pageantpageants even existed for
(17:08):
married women and but what I didknow was that you're going to
have to do a lot of publicspeaking and I was scared to
death.
How did you overcome that?
So I overcame it because I toldmyself I was going to do this
pageant and I'll tell you what.
It wasn't easy, you know, and Idid the best that I could, but
every year, because you know,you commit to a system for a
(17:29):
year and I said every year I'mgoing to do it again until I can
get this, because it's going tomake me the community leader
that I have to be.
And I fought through it, andTed will tell you this is the
one of the things that he findsmost intriguing.
You know that he loves about mewas that I just conquered that
fear.
I made it.
You know that I want to be outthere.
I want to help these familieslike my own.
I want to make them feel like apart of their community, like
(17:52):
they belong.
Speaker 1 (17:53):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (17:53):
And so this is something that I definitely want
to speak about, and I want tobe able to get out there and
have these conversations and bein front of a crowd and be able
to do this.
Oh my gosh that was you know,so it was all about that.
Was it just practicing?
Speaker 1 (18:08):
It was practicing.
It's just like anything else.
I heard someone say thisrecently.
Speaker 2 (18:12):
You know, if you don't use it, you lose it.
You know, it's just like sportsor anything like that You've
got to practice.
So, the more you talk and themore you get out there and you
have these conversations, thebetter it's going to be.
Speaker 1 (18:24):
But if you stop doing it.
Speaker 2 (18:25):
You know you can start to build up that anxiety
again.
Speaker 1 (18:28):
So you really have to make yourself do it, and it's
always those seeds that you knowsomeone might plant on you.
I mean, those are the thingsthat you know you have to
overcome and you have to conquerRight.
So kudos to you, Thank you.
Speaker 2 (18:39):
So, yeah, any fear you just have to face it right.
You have to face it, you do.
I mean, I even took classes.
I went back to Eastern Floridait was Eastern Florida that time
but I took a speech class, youknow, I just powered through it,
made myself do it, you know.
Speaker 1 (18:53):
Yeah, that's one of the classes in college that I
wish I would have taken, but Inever you don't have to do it
necessarily for credit oranything like that so anything
you want to do that's what likeum you know older people would
show up at like my art historyclasses at BCC and.
(19:16):
I would be like that's gonna beme in 40 years and why not, and
why not?
I don't know, I just neverlooked into uh Eastern for that.
Speaker 2 (19:25):
But you're saying that they're growing a lot.
Yeah, and you can definitely dothat.
You can audit any classes youwant.
Hey, you're going to pay for it, though.
Yeah, yeah, I'll take yourmoney.
Speaker 1 (19:35):
So what did you learn there that like helped you?
Besides, like you know, do youhave any tips besides actually
going out there and trying itand doing it?
Speaker 2 (19:43):
You know, just think breathing exercises are really
good.
Speaker 1 (19:46):
Okay.
Speaker 2 (19:46):
So doing different breathing exercises, learning,
meditation.
Also, physical activity is huge.
So a lot of people willactually do a workout before
they have to go out there onstage, because it eats up a lot
of that.
Speaker 1 (19:59):
You're too tired to have the yeah.
Yeah, I've.
I've started doing HIITworkouts around COVID time and
before that I did no workouts,and I was really impressed of
how much like my anxiety and mynerve levels.
Speaker 2 (20:14):
You conquer that in the morning and you're good to
go for the rest of the day.
Yeah, it's so important it isExercise diet all of it, yeah.
Speaker 1 (20:23):
All right.
Well, you brought your crownhere today.
It is gorgeous, can I?
Oh, go for it yeah, look atthis, you guys, it's heavy.
Yes, it's padded.
I've never seen a crown uh, apageant crown up close.
They look so big and heavy andbeautiful in the pictures.
There's a t here.
(20:43):
Yep, can you talk about theorganization Sure?
Speaker 2 (20:48):
Absolutely so.
It's Universe TCP and wecompete in Atlanta every year,
and this is a veryplatform-based system.
So, depending, there's lots ofsystems out there.
You just have to find the rightone.
So, if you're more about theglam and the fashion, there's
one out there for you, okay, youknow, and there's some that are
a blend of both, but this oneis a blend of both, but it's
(21:11):
highly platform oriented.
That means service oriented,right, and so you get to blend
their platform with yourplatform, which is really cool.
So theirs is the PledgeCampaign Foundation Against
Domestic Violence.
Yes, so I think that this isvery important.
It's a difficult topic to talkabout.
Speaker 1 (21:32):
Right.
Speaker 2 (21:33):
But it's very, very important.
Speaker 1 (21:35):
So they picked that, not necessarily you, correct.
Speaker 2 (21:38):
So the pageant, a lot of pageants, have their own
organization, service-basedorganization, and we'll help
raise money and awareness forthem.
Sure, and then we do a bigservice project.
When we're up in Atlanta wevisited one of the homes for
young women that have beenthrough domestic violence and
are finding a safe haven Breakaway from.
It really is, and so we have amoment to be able to talk about
(21:59):
and break down barriers, becausea lot of us they see us come in
with our crowns and sashes, youknow, and they have
preconceived notions of whatwe're going to be about.
You know, and I'll tell youwhat you get the women from
europe and asia, and everybodytogether, and we're all in there
together.
We were singing and dancing bythe end of the of the day, and
(22:21):
it was just a beautifulexperience yeah, you know, and
we bring them gifts and that'sreally nice and give them hope.
Speaker 1 (22:27):
That's what it's about, you know it's about hope
for them, building that.
I'm sure you had like deepconversations with them it was
very deep.
What did you learn about that?
And you know the situationsthat they're.
Speaker 2 (22:39):
You know because it can be anyone yeah yes, it could
be anyone, it doesn't matter,doesn't discriminate yeah, you
know everybody has issues, youknow, and problems that they're
going through.
Speaker 1 (22:50):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (22:51):
And this is something that many families face and we
just don't usually talk about it, you know but I think we're in
that evolutionary period, likewe talked about earlier, where
we need to talk about this stuff, because this is how real
change is going to happen, andit's going to happen from the
bottom up in our families.
Yes, you know where we canstart making these changes.
So the pledge campaign has herpledge, his pledge, the kids
(23:14):
pledge and the pet pledge, youknow, and it's all about just
being kind, and also for women,raising the bar, knowing that we
have the power to choose wholoves us yeah you know, and
there is help out there for kids.
It's about about you know sayingkind words, so that kind words
come back to you yeah it'ssimple at that point.
For men, it's about stepping upif you see something, say
(23:37):
something, you set the examplefor other men so that they know
that this is unacceptable, right, right.
So I've got to introduce thisto our families and the autism
community because I feel likewe're at higher risk where we
have more financial stressorsthan a lot of families out there
.
You know, added issues we havebehavioral issues that most
people we don't really talkabout.
(23:58):
You know, behind the scenes wedo as a group community together
because we feel safe and ableto do that.
I'm able to do that in my mom'sgroup that I just started with a
couple of other moms so it's aresource for our moms to be able
to come together and talk aboutthese issues in a safe space
yeah, network together and alsoto be able to learn some
self-care tips, littlebite-sized tips that we can take
(24:20):
super important because we getin those hot, heavy moments when
things could happen and youknow we have to be able to know
when it's time to step back.
Speaker 1 (24:27):
Take a moment for me yes, yeah, go hide in the closet
A few deep breaths, whateveryou got to do.
Speaker 2 (24:33):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (24:34):
Yeah, the autism thing.
So yeah, I'm sure everybody atthis point has a family member
or a friend who is going throughit, and you mentioned that.
It was kind of like you don'treally talk about it.
It's you want to be somewheresafe.
But how can someone like me,who does have a friend, in that
(25:02):
situation, doesn't?
I don't know quite how tosupport her or help her and I
just love the kid.
I mean, he's amazing.
What can I do?
How can I be?
Speaker 2 (25:12):
there for her and let her know, check in in on her,
see how she's doing okay youknow, if you're able to provide
her with any respite.
You know where you could justwatch the kiddo, or you know
help out for a couple hourslisten, a couple hours is a big
deal yeah, just mom to get outand be able to have for any mom
yeah, for any mom 100, yeah youknow.
So a lot of us just find childcare because people don't
(25:37):
necessarily understand theunique and special challenges
you know that our children arehaving to deal with right just
don't know that they'llunderstand and that it's safe,
you know right.
So, like I say, every child isdifferent.
You know every child on thespectrum is different, yeah, and
so you can't.
You know, you just have to kindof get to know them and see how
you can help, if you can orjust be there for her, you know
(25:59):
yeah yeah, I'm here to show thatyou care.
Yeah, I do, I do care, um, butit wouldn't.
Speaker 1 (26:06):
you know, what can you say to maybe like a new
sitter or something to?
I mean, you said everyone's,everyone, every child is
different, but if you did wantto hire someone to get your two
hours, is there something thatthey need to know or or just be
aware of, or is it just a greatway to do?
Speaker 2 (26:23):
that is just to have them over to spend some time
with you beforehand.
Speaker 1 (26:28):
That's a good idea, yeah.
Speaker 2 (26:29):
So if you were, if this is a you know someone
that's going to take care ofyour child, you'll pay them to
come in and just spend theafternoon with you so they can
see the nuances and differentthings that might happen, or
what to look out for.
A lot of our kids have triggersor things that might set them
off or get them upset and it'sjust sensory overload for them.
(26:50):
It is For us.
We have a large dog dog and wehave a house that echoes.
So when our dog barks becausethat's what dogs do yeah, it
scares me.
But for brendan, he's told methat it hurts.
It hurts his ears, you know.
So trying to minimize thosethings, yeah you know, put the
dog away if you know somebody'scoming over, right, or you know,
(27:12):
just um, get Brendan and moreof a safe space, a quiet zone
yeah, if he were to startbarking and things like that.
So those are just little thingsthat you may want to share with
them.
Okay, you know.
And then keep the visits likeif you were to go out and have
to run some errands.
Keep them short at first youknow until the person gets to
know.
Speaker 1 (27:30):
You know your, your environment and your child yeah,
and then the child also needsto get comfortable with the new
adult exactly yep, yep, yep,that's great and then I could
also refer her to the foundationand absolutely things that you
guys put on all the time,absolutely so you have a race
coming up, a be a buddy 5k inOctober.
Speaker 2 (27:52):
Yes, tell me Yep.
So this is the seventh annualrace and the Running Zone
manages the race for us.
This is going to be at SpaceCoast Field of Dreams.
The race starts at 8 o'clock.
So we have the 5K, we have afree kids run.
I'm also going to work so thatwe can get an adaptive award
(28:13):
system.
Oh, okay, so right now we justhave awards, you know, for every
age group men, women, typical,yeah.
But we're going to have more ofa neurodiverse field out there,
which is really what I'vewanted to grow and to get people
together.
So some of our friends from theSpecial Olympics are going to
be out there and we have a youngrunner.
Her name is Clara.
She's amazing.
(28:34):
Now listen, clara can run.
Speaker 1 (28:35):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (28:36):
Yeah, I believe she's 13.
She's training for a triathlete, to be a triathlete.
She's on the spectrum.
She has another disorder aswell, but she loves to run, but
she wants to get up on thatpodium.
Listen, she has no problemwinning in her age division but
her mom did bring it to ourattention that you know we do
want to get more of thoserunners out there, that or
(28:57):
walkers that may just want youknow, for them it's a big deal
just to get out there right andparticipate yeah, you know we
also want to be have themincluded as well, so I'm working
to try to find a way for us tocelebrate those yes as well what
are your?
Speaker 1 (29:12):
what do?
Speaker 2 (29:12):
you have in mind.
Well, right now we give outmedals, you know for our top,
and so I'm going to speak withthe running zone to look at some
other races that are out thereand to see what we can do and
how it would best fit, wherethey're comfortable, you know,
and where we can make it happencool.
Speaker 1 (29:28):
Yeah, now let's get a little superficial.
I love the way you dress andyou put yourself together.
Where do you get your hair done?
Where do you?
Speaker 2 (29:37):
shop.
Let's talk about that stuff.
Oh, I love it.
Well, I love online shopping.
That's one thing.
Speaker 1 (29:42):
I love to do it's easy right?
Speaker 2 (29:43):
Yeah, it is, but this is Coastal Bloom, oh yes,
downtown Melbourne.
Yep Love her.
Love to watch beautiful hey,listen, when I'm there doing my
background checks, I can put onher lives and listen and shop
right as I'm going, she doesthat she does yeah, she does
lives and it's kind of a funlittle thing.
Speaker 1 (30:01):
So you have to be fast if you wanna yeah oh, all
right, it's a lot of fun yeah,so go check it out.
Speaker 2 (30:07):
It's a little yeah little tip fun.
Speaker 1 (30:09):
Yeah, coastal bloom on facebook she does that.
Speaker 2 (30:11):
She has an app, yep, and she does it on facebook, but
the best way to shop is throughthe app.
Okay, it's a lot of fun andthere's a lot of talking.
That happens, and there'sregulars and there's
conversations.
Okay yeah, and the stuff thatyou find is really unique
because she travels around tofind different things and it's
very affordable too veryaffordable, so I gotta love that
yes yeah, so, uh, absolutelylove that.
(30:33):
And then my girl, reese Prospero, is amazing at hair and I've
worked with her for a while andshe's got a place right here in
Egad.
Okay, yeah, what's?
The name of the place, or is it, she just runs out, it's her
business so it's.
Reese Prospero okay, and thenshe was with us at Sunday on the
River too.
So for Sunday on the River,which is our fundraising event
every April at our home, we havevendors so a lot of local
(30:56):
businesses are out there andreese was out there, you know,
doing hair and talking to peopleand giving discounts to come
see her and everything.
Speaker 1 (31:04):
Yeah, I did see char good on your balcony.
Speaker 2 (31:07):
Oh yes, she knows how to work it.
For sure it does.
Speaker 1 (31:10):
Yeah, yeah, everyone loves her and then I have seen
um makeup by Darcy and you dosome collabs.
Speaker 2 (31:17):
Yep, she's absolutely she was there, yep, olivia
Womack also out there, beautifulphotographer yep amazing.
And then Atlantic Beauty Clinicwas another one.
Um, she's up in Cape Canaveral,okay, so she was out there as
well, and so she's very good tome.
So I wanted to mention Paige aswell, absolutely.
Speaker 1 (31:36):
Well, on that train of thought, do you have anybody
that you can think of in Brevardthat would be great to nominate
to sit in your chair next time.
Speaker 2 (31:48):
Ooh, absolutely.
I'm going to think about it,though I feel like I need to
think about it, yeah yeah, takea moment.
Speaker 1 (31:59):
Yeah, all right, well , while I'm gonna think about it
though, I feel like I need tothink about it.
Yeah, yeah, take a moment.
Yeah, all right, well, whileyou take a moment.
Speaker 2 (32:03):
What about like?
Speaker 1 (32:03):
restaurants.
Where do you and your husbandlove to dine out?
Yeah, so do date night and kidfriendly.
Speaker 2 (32:06):
Yeah, well, we take our kids pretty much anywhere so
they love.
They're a little spoiled andthey like so for father's day,
we went to yellow dog, so thatwas.
My daughter wanted to take himto yellow dog.
That's nice, and so we did gothere and um chart house and
then recently um my husbandpurchased kiwi, so racket and
(32:26):
fitness clubs we've been doing alot of uh renovations there and
we're set to open up the palmrestaurant there.
Oh wow.
And so we've been renovatingthat heavily and hiring new
staff and a new chef.
Speaker 1 (32:38):
When did you guys get it?
In October, okay, so it's newand it needed a lot of love,
yeah.
Speaker 2 (32:43):
It's been here over 20 years.
Speaker 1 (32:45):
Yes, we were.
I don't know if we actuallywent through with it, but we
were considering taking mydaughter there for tennis during
the summer.
Absolutely my daughter therefor tennis during the summer
absolutely still going on.
Speaker 2 (32:55):
Yeah, all right absolutely, they have a great
youth program there yes, yeah,all right, we'll try that.
And a summer camp and, yeah, soyou know, having a lot of fun.
This is something ted and I aredoing together to help.
That's so fun you know, designit and refresh it.
Yeah, and because it's abeautiful, thank you, it really
is uh.
Location is yeah, yeah, andwe're going to make it an
(33:15):
adaptive tennis center, which isreally fun.
So I have a friend that haslove serving autism and she's
connected to the usta floridaand she'll be coming up to train
all of our staff and volunteersand parents whoever wants to
get trained for adaptive tennis,to be able to teach our kiddos
(33:35):
better teach our kiddos.
We've been doing it for years,you know we've been having these
events for years.
But you know, really there's agreat way to do it and she's got
a system and visuals, you know,so gonna bring her in to do
that.
Speaker 1 (33:46):
So that will be coming in the fall.
Yeah, and you guys can throwevents there too, right?
I feel like I went to a like ashower of some sorts there.
Speaker 2 (33:54):
Yeah, yeah, yep, they hold.
There's a small banquet roomwhich is about to get refreshed
as well, so you know weddingreceptions, different things
like that um and uh.
In the past we've hadinternational women's tennis
tournaments there, so we've beensponsors of it, but now we'll
be hosting it obviously yeahhoping to be able to bring it
(34:15):
back, because that was a great,great event and that was
pre-covid.
Speaker 1 (34:19):
So now, oh okay, so covid stopped it.
Yeah, okay.
Yeah, you can get it back.
You sure you can.
You can do anything that's.
Speaker 2 (34:26):
It's very exciting to have women from around the
world, you know here competing,yeah, and tennis is big around
here it is big, and pickleballis really big too.
Speaker 1 (34:34):
Yes, that has been growing.
Sure you've heard yes, so addedsome pickleball course.
That was the first thing, wedid it.
What a wonderful idea.
Yeah, yeah, wow.
So what else do we not knowabout you?
Any other hobbies or interests?
Speaker 2 (34:49):
yeah, I think, um, you know, really, the only thing
is I, like I said, I love artand being able to incorporate
that with our families and alsointroduce them to our artists
that we have here.
We've got amazing artists here,and we had a peace of mind event
at Derek Gore's gallery lastyear and it was so amazing.
Yes, in the daytime we had ourkids come in and work with the
(35:10):
different artists hands-on.
So they got to make little minipeople, collage people with
Derek.
And then, you know, I meanKristen Maslow was out there,
nikki Nicole Erickie, scienceCody Monaghan.
Speaker 1 (35:27):
So Cody.
Speaker 2 (35:27):
Monaghan made this amazing handprint, had the kids
do handprint on a large canvasand then came back later that
evening with this John Lennonpainted on it.
Speaker 1 (35:38):
Wow, yeah.
Speaker 2 (35:39):
And it said imagine all the people and I love that
Like it just meant so much aboutbringing people together, which
is like, really, what we try todo is try to offer something
for for everyone yeah.
All kids love sports, you knowright.
Um, some love dancing, somelove art.
So, whatever it is, I just wantto be able to connect, make
those connections, that'swonderful, because once I make
(35:59):
those connections, then thewalls and the barriers are
broken down.
Speaker 1 (36:02):
Yeah.
And then they can be morereadily, you know, involved into
the typical activities that areout there, and one connection
brings two, and you know, all ofa sudden you have a whole
community behind you.
Speaker 2 (36:20):
Now, when you do art, do you?
I mean, I know it's probablyhard for a mom to to take time
for herself, but do you paint ordo you draw?
So what I do recently is I'mone of the moms, so I used to do
, uh, these events for ourschool.
So we had a gala at thecatholic school the kids would
go to.
One of the moms said you know,could anyone do this?
It was a mosaic of the BlessedMother.
And I said you know what?
I think I could do that youknow.
(36:40):
So I Googled with a mosaic andeverything with tiles and
knocked one out and it sold forover a thousand dollars, which
was amazing.
Oh my God, and so that was like,yeah, that was my very first
stab at it, but then I loved it.
I absolutely loved it, and thekids and I.
So I work with the kids and thekids love doing it, yeah, and
(37:02):
it's very like they just sitthere, and even kids with that
are nonverbal doesn't matter,they sit down, they get to work,
they focus.
They absolutely love it.
Speaker 1 (37:12):
I can't get them away from it that wonderful.
Speaker 2 (37:13):
Now we've been making these American flags.
That is like our thing.
We can do anything.
We've done several differentthings.
We've done a sea turtle.
We've done um a mom and a babygiraffe.
When Temple Grandin came tovisit, we gifted her that um
back at the Brevard Zoo and theyhad uh, it was their safari
event that they had and she wasone of the special guests, so
(37:34):
had that.
But the american flags aregreat and they sell anywhere
between 800 to 1500.
We do coastal types um so with,so each one is different where
do you have these available, orare they?
I make a couple of them a yearwith the kids usually like two
to three a year, okay, and then,for whatever big event we're
doing, we auction it off and 100of the proceeds either go to
(37:58):
the parker foundation or we'vealso done things for girls inc
different schools.
So these flags because I'm atitle holder and I love pageants
and everything.
They've gone with me todifferent locations around the
united states and so they're indifferent homes across the.
Speaker 1 (38:15):
United States.
Speaker 2 (38:16):
But it's such a great way to show the world what our
kids are capable of.
Yeah, and to talk about youknow America how it should be
and all of us, together with ourdifferences, you know, united,
absolutely.
So we talk a lot about that andthen, yeah, just make these
beautiful pieces of art andhopefully one day, what I'd love
(38:37):
to do is have my own galleryand workspace that's what I was
going to say and employ ourkiddos, so actually give them
jobs.
Speaker 1 (38:47):
They can sort.
Speaker 2 (38:48):
I mean there's a lot of jobs they can do and the
money that these actually go forcould be, utilized to pay them
and to carry on the art programyou know I can't.
We're always looking for uniqueand different ways to help our
kids.
You know, because they needpurpose, like after they're out
of school, it's really difficultto find something for them.
This is something that I'mhearing more and more my moms
(39:10):
that are uh have kids over 18and young adults and adults.
And Brandon's 18 now he'salmost 18.
So we're going through thatwhole transition.
Speaker 1 (39:18):
We have to become guardians for him.
Speaker 2 (39:20):
So that's what it has .
It's a big deal.
Yeah, so going through a newtransition and then, like I said
, they get to stay with theschool system for a certain
amount of time, but after thatthey're adults and then trying
to find the right fit for themto have something to do so that
they have purpose yes you knowthese kids are.
They, you know, they learn alittle differently and they, you
know.
But they're valuable, but theyare valuable and they have a lot
(39:42):
of, you know, great skills andeverything yeah, you know okay
so that's next for you and yourfamily.
Speaker 1 (39:51):
What can't you do?
How are you at cooking?
I love to cook.
Yeah, you do.
Speaker 2 (39:55):
Yeah, yeah, you're a good cook, I love to cook, yeah
that's great.
Ted loves to cook too, sothat's kind of his thing he
loves to cook on the weekends,but weeknights it's for me, so
what is your?
Specialty um being from thesouth, I love a good brunch,
yeah, so so if you haven't hadgrits that you actually like, I
(40:17):
can usually turn the northernersinto loving grits.
Speaker 1 (40:20):
I love grits yeah.
Speaker 2 (40:21):
Yeah, cheesy grits, cheesy grits.
Gotta love it.
Speaker 1 (40:25):
All right.
Well, melissa, it was so nicemeeting you.
Yes, have you thought of anynominees?
Speaker 2 (40:29):
I'm going to think on it, think about it and let us
know I absolutely will.
Speaker 1 (40:33):
All right, yes, thank you so much for coming in and
educating us.
Speaker 2 (40:38):
And we look forward to everything you have to offer
the community.
I appreciate it.
Speaker 1 (40:42):
I appreciate it.
Thank you, Melissa.
To be a sponsor or nominate aguest, hit us up on Instagram at
local underscore celebrityunderscore Brevard.
Until next time, goodbye.
This podcast is brought to you by Place Pros,
commercial and investment realestate, and Nikotourboutique,
your one-stop shop foreverything cool.
All right, melissa Parker, itis amazing to meet you.
It's so nice to meet you too.
Yes, I have heard so much aboutyou.
Speaker 2 (00:23):
Really yes, around town.
Hope it's good yes it's allgood.
Speaker 1 (00:25):
I mean one, meet you too.
Yes, I have heard so much aboutyou, really.
Yes, around town, hope it'sgood.
Yes, it's all good.
I mean one, you're gorgeous.
Speaker 2 (00:30):
Well, thank you for that.
Speaker 1 (00:30):
Two you are the reigning pageant queen of Miss
Universe, tcp Amazing.
And then, of course, yourParker Foundation for Autism.
That's my heart, I mean it'syou guys are doing amazing
things and really getting theword out there yeah.
Yeah, amazing, and you have afun party every year too right.
Speaker 2 (00:52):
We do Yep Sunday on the river, sunday on the river
we just had our second annual inour backyard right on the river
and it's been amazing.
So very, very thankful for, ohmy gosh, our community and our
sponsors and supporters justhave the best people behind us,
but that's what it's all about,absolutely so how did that get
started the Parker Foundation.
Speaker 1 (01:12):
Yeah, like how does one go about just being like?
This is my cause, and yeah, I'mgoing for it something.
Speaker 2 (01:20):
I just feel like it's something inside of you that
speaks to you that you're meantfor to do more.
Yeah, and that's where Ted andI were at.
So we knew we wanted to do more.
Brendan had been diagnosed.
He went through the ScottCenter.
He made good progress, but thenthey age out of the Scott
Center for Autism and FIT.
Speaker 1 (01:38):
So that's early intervention.
Speaker 2 (01:39):
It's ABA therapy.
That's one of the routes thatchildren around here in Brevard
County can take.
Okay, and we just knew wewanted to do more but we found
there was a lack of resources.
You know, I have another child,a daughter, who's a couple
years younger than Brendan.
Easy to find things for her todo, right, right, yes, not so
easy for our kiddos on thespectrum, right.
(02:00):
So just felt like we reallydidn't belong or have a fit.
And Ted and I were both avidathletes and I loved art and you
know, being a part of a teamwas so important to me as a kid.
I was an Air Force brat and soevery year, year and a half, I
was going to a new school andthe way that I kind of got
through that was jumping on.
(02:20):
You know, a team, a soccer team, you know softball team just
joining a group to be a part of,and that's not always easy for
our kids that are on thespectrum.
So, that's what we really wantedto do and that's where we knew
we had a fit, so to be able tojoin forces with our community
and existing resources and buildthem.
Speaker 1 (02:40):
Yeah, so you guys do like little events all
throughout the year.
Speaker 2 (02:45):
Yes, year long we do, and it's free.
Sports, arts and education forkids.
We do safety initiatives tolike.
Right now we're doing swimmingon the spectrum and that's
specifically for kids that areat high risk for drowning,
because it's the number onecause of death for kids with
autism.
They're drawn to water, theyelopeope, they don't have a fear
(03:05):
that fear factor is notnecessarily within them.
They're impulsive, and so theyjust find themselves in water
and then, unable, they can'tswim.
You know, a lot of them havesensory issues too.
So, right, um, we work rightnow with the special olympics.
So my son is a great swimmer,wow, and he's on the special
olympic swim team and after 2020, we were trying to find a new
home for this program and theywere nice enough to let us use
(03:29):
the shallow end of their pooland we have a trained swimming
professional that works with usand he has a daughter with
autism, so he's really in tuneto our children and the sensory
issues that they have, or theimpulsive nature, and he's very
just, calm and relaxed and heworks with our kids to help them
learn how to swim.
Speaker 1 (03:49):
That's wonderful.
Is there an age range for that?
Speaker 2 (03:52):
Everything we do right now is from like age four
is where we start, okay, andthen we go up to 22.
But I keep pushing that backbecause my son's almost 18.
He'll be 18 this year.
Yeah, so we just keep kind ofexpanding and we follow the
school board.
So 22 is when our kids withspecial needs can continue to
get services through that timeoh, wow yeah okay, yeah, that's
(04:17):
really good to know.
Speaker 1 (04:18):
Um, isn't autism the most uh the behavioral thing
that's the most uh growing inthe us?
If not, I don't know ifglobally yeah, it was one in 36.
Speaker 2 (04:30):
Yes, but I was just talking to my friends of the
brevard autism coalition and wewere talking about what those
statistics might be now and it'sthey're uh feeling like it
could be more in the one in uh20.
Speaker 1 (04:43):
Because it used to be like one in 150.
It was, and when Brendan wasdiagnosed it was one in 110.
Speaker 2 (04:49):
Wow, so yeah, very short amount of time.
What do you?
Speaker 1 (04:51):
think is happening there?
Speaker 2 (04:52):
Do you think it is just being diagnosed more, or do
you think it's like airpollution, a combination of
everything I really do feel likeenvironmental effects obviously
are really and we're gettingmore in tune to that and we know
here in America, like even thefoods that we eat like you know
in other countries, and this isreally coming to a head.
A lot of the chemicals andthings that we put in our foods
(05:12):
are not even allowed in othercountries.
Speaker 1 (05:14):
Yes, the dyes Exactly Number 40.
Speaker 2 (05:17):
Yes, yeah, and it's not just autism, you know, it's
ADHD, it's OCD, it's anxiety,it's, you know, sensory
processing.
So even if your kiddo doesn'tfall in the autism spectrum,
there's a lot of times when theycould be having these other
effects that are happening.
Yeah, I think we're seeing agrowth in those as well.
Speaker 1 (05:34):
Yeah, I know, I read about that all the time.
Even like like a vitamin Ddeficiency can throw you off
balance and our kids are insidea lot more.
They don't get out as much.
Speaker 2 (05:49):
You know what I mean Exactly Different times, you
know.
Speaker 1 (05:51):
but I think this is just a time of evolution for us
on many, many levels.
Speaker 2 (05:53):
Yes, so you know when we have difficulties like this,
you know, in society, you knowit's just time for growth.
Speaker 1 (05:58):
Yes, do you think there's anything to be done
about, like the food?
Speaker 2 (06:02):
I mean, obviously, I feel like we need to just get
out there with our legislativeteam, you know, and tell them
that this is not right.
Speaker 1 (06:11):
I think there needs to be a revolution there,
absolutely.
How does one start that?
I mean, yeah, talk to yourlegislators.
Speaker 2 (06:18):
Yeah, there's a lot of people out there that are
signing petitions.
And then you have to haveskilled people that aren't
afraid to go in front of yourlocal.
You know legislators and beable to speak with them, because
they're there to listen to you.
Yes, you know, yeah.
Speaker 1 (06:31):
I think, having your background too, I mean you could
be like an amazing leader forthat, or for even someone like
me, who who questions like howam I supposed to do anything
about the food that we feed ourkids, but it's really nice to
have you in our community.
Speaker 2 (06:44):
Oh well, thank you for that, I think too.
Just educating yourself yeah,you know and not eating as many
processed foods.
And let me tell you what havingtwo active teenagers and
working and having a businessand the Parker Foundation is
hard.
Believe me, convenience is soeasy.
Speaker 1 (06:59):
I know, I've cut out fast food from our household.
I mean we might visit once ortwice a year, but I mean growing
up we would go like once ortwice a week right, yep, yep,
yep.
Speaker 2 (07:09):
So things are different now.
Speaker 1 (07:11):
Yeah, so you do have a business on the side.
I do the screening business.
Speaker 2 (07:16):
Yeah, so it's Precision Screening and it's
actually a background screeningcompany, because Ted has a
staffing company, so IT Staffingand Solutions it.
Ted has a staffing company, soIT, staffing and solutions.
It's revolution technologies,oh wow.
And so after I'm still aregistered nurse, right, and I
keep my license active, I alwayswill, and I utilize that now as
a community leader, you know,for autism really great.
(07:36):
But in my spare time and it'skind of nice because I have a
lot of flexibility I just helpclear people or do tenant
screenings.
So it's just a very smallbusiness.
It's me and my brother actuallyI employ, yeah, and we do it
together, yep, and it's veryflexible.
Speaker 1 (07:51):
So what does that entail?
Like you, you do backgroundchecks and make sure they're
just a good candidate Right, Canyou?
Can you take on other clientsbesides your husband's?
Speaker 2 (08:01):
thing yeah, I mean his, obviously his company is is
it's nationwide, it'sworldwide's worldwide?
So it does get me pretty busy.
Speaker 1 (08:08):
Okay, but yes, I can.
Speaker 2 (08:10):
You just don't need to.
Speaker 1 (08:11):
That's right.
That's great, though.
Yeah, now did you grow up here?
You said you were in themilitary family, mm-hmm.
Speaker 2 (08:19):
Yep.
So I would say, junior high iswhen my dad was actually
transferred to Patrick Air ForceBase and then he worked here.
We lived at Patrick Air ForceBase and then I went to
Satellite High and that's whereI met my husband, ted.
Really, yeah, yep, and then mydad retired here and this has
been home base and pretty mucheveryone in our family has moved
down here, so this was yourlast move.
Speaker 1 (08:41):
This was it.
Yeah, that's really great.
And were you guys, uh, highschool sweethearts or did you
just?
Speaker 2 (08:46):
we dated a little bit we went to homecoming and um,
but it was our senior year andwe decided that you know, he was
going to go to UCF and I wasgoing to go to Brevard Community
College, which is now EasternFlorida.
Yeah, and I loved.
Speaker 1 (08:58):
BCC yeah.
Speaker 2 (09:00):
I took classes.
Speaker 1 (09:01):
It was amazing.
They also had like a reallygood summer program for kids.
Now I'm struggling to find likeall the pieces around town, yep
.
But yeah, I used to love PCC,yeah, and then your husband was
a.
He was a varsity player.
What?
Speaker 2 (09:16):
did he play?
He played football and tennis.
Oh wow, yep, and then played atUCF as well.
So you guys separated for fouryears.
It was actually 13 years.
So yeah, it was actually 13years.
So yeah, it was 13 years.
It was kind of a crazy story.
So 13 years later, I'm workingover in Orlando.
My sister was going to UCF sowe rented a house together and I
(09:36):
had a lot of friends over thereand just needed to get out of
Brevard County for a little bit,I could you know what I mean.
Yeah, so I went over there and Iwas working as a nurse at
Florida Hospital and one night Ihad to work 11 to 7 shift and
for some reason I just felt likeI needed to go to the gym, so
got to hit the LA Fitness beforemy 11 to 7 shift, which never
(09:58):
happened.
Speaker 1 (09:59):
That never happened before.
Speaker 2 (10:00):
So I just felt like I needed to go.
And sure enough, I'm on thetreadmill and I'm doing my
workout and I feel this guy nextto me kind of looking at me.
And I'm on the treadmill andI'm doing my workout and I feel
this guy next to me kind oflooking at me and I'm like
what's going on?
I think this guy's going totalk to me, you know, but I had
like I was just not about itthat night.
Speaker 1 (10:17):
I had a lot on my mind and he was persistent and
no.
Speaker 2 (10:19):
And then I came to find out, yeah, just well.
He then he's like hey, I thinkyou're you know, I think I know
you, I think you're you know.
Speaker 1 (10:26):
Missy Brooks and I'm like, yeah, I am, who are you it
?
Speaker 2 (10:28):
had been 13.
You know, like I said, I justhad my blinders on and I just
wasn't like out of nowhere,there he was.
But the funny thing about it wasthe night before, and if you
believe in bigger things, whichI totally do the night before I
was talking to my sister and Isaid you know, I wonder whatever
happened to that guy, teddyParker from high school, because
when he took me to homecomingmy dress ripped.
(10:48):
So getting out of the car mydress ripped and he had to take
me all the way home.
I had to change a dress andthen take me back to homecoming.
You know where the event washappening.
And I just thought that he hadhandled that so well, but for
some reason, out of nowhere, itjust came out.
Speaker 1 (11:04):
It just popped in your head.
Yeah, I believe in stuff likethat too.
Speaker 2 (11:09):
I mean that's crazy right, that's when you know
things are aligning exactly wow,so I had an hour talk on the
treadmill, yeah that makes theworkout go by quick.
Yeah, it did, I'm like we'vebeen here for an hour.
Do you usually work out thislong and I'm like I got to go to
work so I'm gonna have to saygoodbye.
But anyway, we exchangednumbers and then the rest is
history.
Speaker 1 (11:29):
Yeah, kind of cool right, yeah yeah, that is kind
of freaky though how it?
Just popped in your head andthen I know, right in front of
you, I know oh yeah that's cool.
How long was your courtshipfrom there?
Did you guys get married?
Speaker 2 (11:41):
it was pretty quick, yeah we were married within a
year yeah, that's great.
And then you guys had two kids.
Yep, we had Brendan pretty muchright away, because his dad was
actually not doing well, he hadbrain cancer.
So he had been battling cancersince he had retired from Harris
.
Speaker 1 (11:55):
Oh, wow.
Speaker 2 (11:56):
So that's kind of, yeah, that's rough.
And Ted is the youngest of nineand he has two brothers and
neither one of them had kids.
So, Ted, he has lots of sisters, They've had lots of kids, but
no one to carry on the Parkername.
And so you know.
Luckily we got pregnant rightaway and had Brendan, and his
(12:16):
dad got to help Brendan beforehe passed away.
Speaker 1 (12:19):
That's beautiful, oh wow.
Speaker 2 (12:21):
That's great.
Speaker 1 (12:21):
And then you have a daughter too.
Speaker 2 (12:23):
Yep, yep, carson, she's 14, almost 15.
How's that going good?
Yeah, she's a challenge.
She's a lot like dad actually.
She's a great negotiator.
She's going to be a good littlebusiness wonderful one day.
Yep, uh, but she's an MCCcheerleader.
She's actually at camp rightnow, uh, working with the the
littles for their cheer camp.
Speaker 1 (12:43):
Yeah, volunteering, I'm taking my kid to the
satellite one, oh good, wherethey?
Yeah, they'll take the highschoolers and yeah do a little
camp with them.
Yep, that's fun, yeah, and agood way to build responsibility
yep, yep, she loves it.
Speaker 2 (12:55):
She's like I get all of my community service hours
for the year in one week.
Speaker 1 (12:59):
That's perfect.
Doing what she loves.
That's what it's all about.
You know, it really is.
Yes, community service all theway right, great and driving
almost now.
Speaker 2 (13:09):
She did break her foot recently.
Oh, that's tough.
Speaker 1 (13:12):
Unfortunately broke his foot earlier.
Speaker 2 (13:14):
She's in a boot and she's scooting around and she's
on the craft table, which she'snot happy about because she's a
dancer and she wants to beteaching those girls how to
dance.
Yeah so she's like mama, Igotta do the art.
I'm not looking forward to it.
Speaker 1 (13:26):
Art is fun.
It's fun for me.
Yeah, do you do it often?
I know I've seen you pokearound Derek's studio, yep yep,
yep.
Speaker 2 (13:33):
So I've always been a lover of art.
When I went to satellite, mylast two classes in my senior
year were art.
So, I kind of took that and Iwanted to be a fashion designer.
That so I kind of took that andI wanted to be a fashion
designer.
That was what I really wantedto do, had that talk with my dad
and he wasn't about it.
Speaker 1 (13:51):
So nursing it was.
There was also like because Ipoked around that too.
There was a lack of schoolsthat actually specialized in
that in Florida and we weredoing like the Florida prepaid.
Speaker 2 (14:01):
So I was like.
Speaker 1 (14:02):
These are my choices.
Right?
I think there was one, Was itFlagler?
That offered fashion?
Speaker 2 (14:11):
design.
I'm not sure I had my heart seton going to New York City at
Parsons.
That's what I wanted to do yeah, he's like sorry, sis, that's
not happening, but you'renursing.
But the cool thing about lifeis no matter, and I think this
is what keeps you young is thatyou don't have to stop.
You can continue learning.
Listen, I have a big birthdaythis year and I'm just getting
(14:31):
started, so if I ever wanted togo back and be that fashion
designer 100%.
Speaker 1 (14:36):
You know, farrah Wang started at 40.
Yes, right.
So yeah, I always have that inthe back of my head too, and
it's like you know life is aboutreinventing yourself.
It is.
Speaker 2 (14:45):
That's what keeps it fresh.
Yes, yes so with the pageantry?
Speaker 1 (14:49):
has that been?
I mean, were you always apageant kid, or did that happen
later in life?
Speaker 2 (14:54):
So I used to sing and dance as a kid and I lived in
South Carolina and pageants werebig in the South.
Yes, so are.
So that's.
My mom had me in it and I lovedit, loved being on stage.
And then it came time for beingkind of a pre-teen and I got
really nervous on stage.
This is when you have to startspeaking on stage, you know, and
(15:15):
it was more about starting totalk about service work you know
, with different things and Ijust had a really hard time with
that.
I was a shy kid and just had adifficult time and my parents
were like I think you're donewith this.
You know you're more intosports, let's just focus on that
.
So, kind of hit, a little seedwas planted in my mind like I, I
(15:36):
had a difficult time withpublic speaking like this is not
good for me.
I would get really nervousabout it.
So I think a seed was plantedand later in life that sticks
with you, that kind of youidentified with it.
It really yeah, okay and then.
So as a nurse and trying to getyou know different um upper
level positions, I had a reallychallenging time with the public
(15:57):
speaking.
Yeah, and like advocating foryourself right, and so that's
not going to work.
If you want to be a manager,you know I made it to a certain
level in management, but I couldnever get past that point yeah
so then Brendan was born, gotmore.
I had my little desk job athome.
You, know, with my screeningbusiness, and so that was always
there, and I always struggledwith a little bit of social
(16:18):
anxiety too, and I think a lotof that was just being the new
kid in school all the time, allthe time yeah and being a shy
kid and also like.
Speaker 1 (16:26):
I'm sure, pageantry, you know, you get envy, you get
the mean girls saying like youknow.
Speaker 2 (16:32):
Yeah, yeah, you definitely can.
But I think as a missus it's alittle bit different and you
always put service at theforefront.
As a missus.
So I feel like when you'recoming from that place.
Speaker 1 (16:43):
I've never really had to deal Exactly.
Speaker 2 (16:46):
I've never really had to deal with that.
I've had a lot of support and Ithink that's why I stuck with
it, but the reason why I reallygot into it.
A friend of mine, dear friendof mine, joni Nathanson.
We were playing tennis and shesaid you know, melissa, I know
exactly what you're doing, youknow, for the autism community.
It's you stepping up to be acommunity leader.
Why don't you get intopageantry?
I had no idea that a pageantpageants even existed for
(17:08):
married women and but what I didknow was that you're going to
have to do a lot of publicspeaking and I was scared to
death.
How did you overcome that?
So I overcame it because I toldmyself I was going to do this
pageant and I'll tell you what.
It wasn't easy, you know, and Idid the best that I could, but
every year, because you know,you commit to a system for a
(17:29):
year and I said every year I'mgoing to do it again until I can
get this, because it's going tomake me the community leader
that I have to be.
And I fought through it, andTed will tell you this is the
one of the things that he findsmost intriguing.
You know that he loves about mewas that I just conquered that
fear.
I made it.
You know that I want to be outthere.
I want to help these familieslike my own.
I want to make them feel like apart of their community, like
(17:52):
they belong.
Speaker 1 (17:53):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (17:53):
And so this is something that I definitely want
to speak about, and I want tobe able to get out there and
have these conversations and bein front of a crowd and be able
to do this.
Oh my gosh that was you know,so it was all about that.
Was it just practicing?
Speaker 1 (18:08):
It was practicing.
It's just like anything else.
I heard someone say thisrecently.
Speaker 2 (18:12):
You know, if you don't use it, you lose it.
You know, it's just like sportsor anything like that You've
got to practice.
So, the more you talk and themore you get out there and you
have these conversations, thebetter it's going to be.
Speaker 1 (18:24):
But if you stop doing it.
Speaker 2 (18:25):
You know you can start to build up that anxiety
again.
Speaker 1 (18:28):
So you really have to make yourself do it, and it's
always those seeds that you knowsomeone might plant on you.
I mean, those are the thingsthat you know you have to
overcome and you have to conquerRight.
So kudos to you, Thank you.
Speaker 2 (18:39):
So, yeah, any fear you just have to face it right.
You have to face it, you do.
I mean, I even took classes.
I went back to Eastern Floridait was Eastern Florida that time
but I took a speech class, youknow, I just powered through it,
made myself do it, you know.
Speaker 1 (18:53):
Yeah, that's one of the classes in college that I
wish I would have taken, but Inever you don't have to do it
necessarily for credit oranything like that so anything
you want to do that's what likeum you know older people would
show up at like my art historyclasses at BCC and.
(19:16):
I would be like that's gonna beme in 40 years and why not, and
why not?
I don't know, I just neverlooked into uh Eastern for that.
Speaker 2 (19:25):
But you're saying that they're growing a lot.
Yeah, and you can definitely dothat.
You can audit any classes youwant.
Hey, you're going to pay for it, though.
Yeah, yeah, I'll take yourmoney.
Speaker 1 (19:35):
So what did you learn there that like helped you?
Besides, like you know, do youhave any tips besides actually
going out there and trying itand doing it?
Speaker 2 (19:43):
You know, just think breathing exercises are really
good.
Speaker 1 (19:46):
Okay.
Speaker 2 (19:46):
So doing different breathing exercises, learning,
meditation.
Also, physical activity is huge.
So a lot of people willactually do a workout before
they have to go out there onstage, because it eats up a lot
of that.
Speaker 1 (19:59):
You're too tired to have the yeah.
Yeah, I've.
I've started doing HIITworkouts around COVID time and
before that I did no workouts,and I was really impressed of
how much like my anxiety and mynerve levels.
Speaker 2 (20:14):
You conquer that in the morning and you're good to
go for the rest of the day.
Yeah, it's so important it isExercise diet all of it, yeah.
Speaker 1 (20:23):
All right.
Well, you brought your crownhere today.
It is gorgeous, can I?
Oh, go for it yeah, look atthis, you guys, it's heavy.
Yes, it's padded.
I've never seen a crown uh, apageant crown up close.
They look so big and heavy andbeautiful in the pictures.
There's a t here.
(20:43):
Yep, can you talk about theorganization Sure?
Speaker 2 (20:48):
Absolutely so.
It's Universe TCP and wecompete in Atlanta every year,
and this is a veryplatform-based system.
So, depending, there's lots ofsystems out there.
You just have to find the rightone.
So, if you're more about theglam and the fashion, there's
one out there for you, okay, youknow, and there's some that are
a blend of both, but this oneis a blend of both, but it's
(21:11):
highly platform oriented.
That means service oriented,right, and so you get to blend
their platform with yourplatform, which is really cool.
So theirs is the PledgeCampaign Foundation Against
Domestic Violence.
Yes, so I think that this isvery important.
It's a difficult topic to talkabout.
Speaker 1 (21:32):
Right.
Speaker 2 (21:33):
But it's very, very important.
Speaker 1 (21:35):
So they picked that, not necessarily you, correct.
Speaker 2 (21:38):
So the pageant, a lot of pageants, have their own
organization, service-basedorganization, and we'll help
raise money and awareness forthem.
Sure, and then we do a bigservice project.
When we're up in Atlanta wevisited one of the homes for
young women that have beenthrough domestic violence and
are finding a safe haven Breakaway from.
It really is, and so we have amoment to be able to talk about
(21:59):
and break down barriers, becausea lot of us they see us come in
with our crowns and sashes, youknow, and they have
preconceived notions of whatwe're going to be about.
You know, and I'll tell youwhat you get the women from
europe and asia, and everybodytogether, and we're all in there
together.
We were singing and dancing bythe end of the of the day, and
(22:21):
it was just a beautifulexperience yeah, you know, and
we bring them gifts and that'sreally nice and give them hope.
Speaker 1 (22:27):
That's what it's about, you know it's about hope
for them, building that.
I'm sure you had like deepconversations with them it was
very deep.
What did you learn about that?
And you know the situationsthat they're.
Speaker 2 (22:39):
You know because it can be anyone yeah yes, it could
be anyone, it doesn't matter,doesn't discriminate yeah, you
know everybody has issues, youknow, and problems that they're
going through.
Speaker 1 (22:50):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (22:51):
And this is something that many families face and we
just don't usually talk about it, you know but I think we're in
that evolutionary period, likewe talked about earlier, where
we need to talk about this stuff, because this is how real
change is going to happen, andit's going to happen from the
bottom up in our families.
Yes, you know where we canstart making these changes.
So the pledge campaign has herpledge, his pledge, the kids
(23:14):
pledge and the pet pledge, youknow, and it's all about just
being kind, and also for women,raising the bar, knowing that we
have the power to choose wholoves us yeah you know, and
there is help out there for kids.
It's about about you know sayingkind words, so that kind words
come back to you yeah it'ssimple at that point.
For men, it's about stepping upif you see something, say
(23:37):
something, you set the examplefor other men so that they know
that this is unacceptable, right, right.
So I've got to introduce thisto our families and the autism
community because I feel likewe're at higher risk where we
have more financial stressorsthan a lot of families out there
.
You know, added issues we havebehavioral issues that most
people we don't really talkabout.
(23:58):
You know, behind the scenes wedo as a group community together
because we feel safe and ableto do that.
I'm able to do that in my mom'sgroup that I just started with a
couple of other moms so it's aresource for our moms to be able
to come together and talk aboutthese issues in a safe space
yeah, network together and alsoto be able to learn some
self-care tips, littlebite-sized tips that we can take
(24:20):
super important because we getin those hot, heavy moments when
things could happen and youknow we have to be able to know
when it's time to step back.
Speaker 1 (24:27):
Take a moment for me yes, yeah, go hide in the closet
A few deep breaths, whateveryou got to do.
Speaker 2 (24:33):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (24:34):
Yeah, the autism thing.
So yeah, I'm sure everybody atthis point has a family member
or a friend who is going throughit, and you mentioned that.
It was kind of like you don'treally talk about it.
It's you want to be somewheresafe.
But how can someone like me,who does have a friend, in that
(25:02):
situation, doesn't?
I don't know quite how tosupport her or help her and I
just love the kid.
I mean, he's amazing.
What can I do?
How can I be?
Speaker 2 (25:12):
there for her and let her know, check in in on her,
see how she's doing okay youknow, if you're able to provide
her with any respite.
You know where you could justwatch the kiddo, or you know
help out for a couple hourslisten, a couple hours is a big
deal yeah, just mom to get outand be able to have for any mom
yeah, for any mom 100, yeah youknow.
So a lot of us just find childcare because people don't
(25:37):
necessarily understand theunique and special challenges
you know that our children arehaving to deal with right just
don't know that they'llunderstand and that it's safe,
you know right.
So, like I say, every child isdifferent.
You know every child on thespectrum is different, yeah, and
so you can't.
You know, you just have to kindof get to know them and see how
you can help, if you can orjust be there for her, you know
(25:59):
yeah yeah, I'm here to show thatyou care.
Yeah, I do, I do care, um, butit wouldn't.
Speaker 1 (26:06):
you know, what can you say to maybe like a new
sitter or something to?
I mean, you said everyone's,everyone, every child is
different, but if you did wantto hire someone to get your two
hours, is there something thatthey need to know or or just be
aware of, or is it just a greatway to do?
Speaker 2 (26:23):
that is just to have them over to spend some time
with you beforehand.
Speaker 1 (26:28):
That's a good idea, yeah.
Speaker 2 (26:29):
So if you were, if this is a you know someone
that's going to take care ofyour child, you'll pay them to
come in and just spend theafternoon with you so they can
see the nuances and differentthings that might happen, or
what to look out for.
A lot of our kids have triggersor things that might set them
off or get them upset and it'sjust sensory overload for them.
(26:50):
It is For us.
We have a large dog dog and wehave a house that echoes.
So when our dog barks becausethat's what dogs do yeah, it
scares me.
But for brendan, he's told methat it hurts.
It hurts his ears, you know.
So trying to minimize thosethings, yeah you know, put the
dog away if you know somebody'scoming over, right, or you know,
(27:12):
just um, get Brendan and moreof a safe space, a quiet zone
yeah, if he were to startbarking and things like that.
So those are just little thingsthat you may want to share with
them.
Okay, you know.
And then keep the visits likeif you were to go out and have
to run some errands.
Keep them short at first youknow until the person gets to
know.
Speaker 1 (27:30):
You know your, your environment and your child yeah,
and then the child also needsto get comfortable with the new
adult exactly yep, yep, yep,that's great and then I could
also refer her to the foundationand absolutely things that you
guys put on all the time,absolutely so you have a race
coming up, a be a buddy 5k inOctober.
Speaker 2 (27:52):
Yes, tell me Yep.
So this is the seventh annualrace and the Running Zone
manages the race for us.
This is going to be at SpaceCoast Field of Dreams.
The race starts at 8 o'clock.
So we have the 5K, we have afree kids run.
I'm also going to work so thatwe can get an adaptive award
(28:13):
system.
Oh, okay, so right now we justhave awards, you know, for every
age group men, women, typical,yeah.
But we're going to have more ofa neurodiverse field out there,
which is really what I'vewanted to grow and to get people
together.
So some of our friends from theSpecial Olympics are going to
be out there and we have a youngrunner.
Her name is Clara.
She's amazing.
(28:34):
Now listen, clara can run.
Speaker 1 (28:35):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (28:36):
Yeah, I believe she's 13.
She's training for a triathlete, to be a triathlete.
She's on the spectrum.
She has another disorder aswell, but she loves to run, but
she wants to get up on thatpodium.
Listen, she has no problemwinning in her age division but
her mom did bring it to ourattention that you know we do
want to get more of thoserunners out there, that or
(28:57):
walkers that may just want youknow, for them it's a big deal
just to get out there right andparticipate yeah, you know we
also want to be have themincluded as well, so I'm working
to try to find a way for us tocelebrate those yes as well what
are your?
Speaker 1 (29:12):
what do?
Speaker 2 (29:12):
you have in mind.
Well, right now we give outmedals, you know for our top,
and so I'm going to speak withthe running zone to look at some
other races that are out thereand to see what we can do and
how it would best fit, wherethey're comfortable, you know,
and where we can make it happencool.
Speaker 1 (29:28):
Yeah, now let's get a little superficial.
I love the way you dress andyou put yourself together.
Where do you get your hair done?
Where do you?
Speaker 2 (29:37):
shop.
Let's talk about that stuff.
Oh, I love it.
Well, I love online shopping.
That's one thing.
Speaker 1 (29:42):
I love to do it's easy right?
Speaker 2 (29:43):
Yeah, it is, but this is Coastal Bloom, oh yes,
downtown Melbourne.
Yep Love her.
Love to watch beautiful hey,listen, when I'm there doing my
background checks, I can put onher lives and listen and shop
right as I'm going, she doesthat she does yeah, she does
lives and it's kind of a funlittle thing.
Speaker 1 (30:01):
So you have to be fast if you wanna yeah oh, all
right, it's a lot of fun yeah,so go check it out.
Speaker 2 (30:07):
It's a little yeah little tip fun.
Speaker 1 (30:09):
Yeah, coastal bloom on facebook she does that.
Speaker 2 (30:11):
She has an app, yep, and she does it on facebook, but
the best way to shop is throughthe app.
Okay, it's a lot of fun andthere's a lot of talking.
That happens, and there'sregulars and there's
conversations.
Okay yeah, and the stuff thatyou find is really unique
because she travels around tofind different things and it's
very affordable too veryaffordable, so I gotta love that
yes yeah, so, uh, absolutelylove that.
(30:33):
And then my girl, reese Prospero, is amazing at hair and I've
worked with her for a while andshe's got a place right here in
Egad.
Okay, yeah, what's?
The name of the place, or is it, she just runs out, it's her
business so it's.
Reese Prospero okay, and thenshe was with us at Sunday on the
River too.
So for Sunday on the River,which is our fundraising event
every April at our home, we havevendors so a lot of local
(30:56):
businesses are out there andreese was out there, you know,
doing hair and talking to peopleand giving discounts to come
see her and everything.
Speaker 1 (31:04):
Yeah, I did see char good on your balcony.
Speaker 2 (31:07):
Oh yes, she knows how to work it.
For sure it does.
Speaker 1 (31:10):
Yeah, yeah, everyone loves her and then I have seen
um makeup by Darcy and you dosome collabs.
Speaker 2 (31:17):
Yep, she's absolutely she was there, yep, olivia
Womack also out there, beautifulphotographer yep amazing.
And then Atlantic Beauty Clinicwas another one.
Um, she's up in Cape Canaveral,okay, so she was out there as
well, and so she's very good tome.
So I wanted to mention Paige aswell, absolutely.
Speaker 1 (31:36):
Well, on that train of thought, do you have anybody
that you can think of in Brevardthat would be great to nominate
to sit in your chair next time.
Speaker 2 (31:48):
Ooh, absolutely.
I'm going to think about it,though I feel like I need to
think about it, yeah yeah, takea moment.
Speaker 1 (31:59):
Yeah, all right, well , while I'm gonna think about it
though, I feel like I need tothink about it.
Yeah, yeah, take a moment.
Yeah, all right, well, whileyou take a moment.
Speaker 2 (32:03):
What about like?
Speaker 1 (32:03):
restaurants.
Where do you and your husbandlove to dine out?
Yeah, so do date night and kidfriendly.
Speaker 2 (32:06):
Yeah, well, we take our kids pretty much anywhere so
they love.
They're a little spoiled andthey like so for father's day,
we went to yellow dog, so thatwas.
My daughter wanted to take himto yellow dog.
That's nice, and so we did gothere and um chart house and
then recently um my husbandpurchased kiwi, so racket and
(32:26):
fitness clubs we've been doing alot of uh renovations there and
we're set to open up the palmrestaurant there.
Oh wow.
And so we've been renovatingthat heavily and hiring new
staff and a new chef.
Speaker 1 (32:38):
When did you guys get it?
In October, okay, so it's newand it needed a lot of love,
yeah.
Speaker 2 (32:43):
It's been here over 20 years.
Speaker 1 (32:45):
Yes, we were.
I don't know if we actuallywent through with it, but we
were considering taking mydaughter there for tennis during
the summer.
Absolutely my daughter therefor tennis during the summer
absolutely still going on.
Speaker 2 (32:55):
Yeah, all right absolutely, they have a great
youth program there yes, yeah,all right, we'll try that.
And a summer camp and, yeah, soyou know, having a lot of fun.
This is something ted and I aredoing together to help.
That's so fun you know, designit and refresh it.
Yeah, and because it's abeautiful, thank you, it really
is uh.
Location is yeah, yeah, andwe're going to make it an
(33:15):
adaptive tennis center, which isreally fun.
So I have a friend that haslove serving autism and she's
connected to the usta floridaand she'll be coming up to train
all of our staff and volunteersand parents whoever wants to
get trained for adaptive tennis,to be able to teach our kiddos
(33:35):
better teach our kiddos.
We've been doing it for years,you know we've been having these
events for years.
But you know, really there's agreat way to do it and she's got
a system and visuals, you know,so gonna bring her in to do
that.
Speaker 1 (33:46):
So that will be coming in the fall.
Yeah, and you guys can throwevents there too, right?
I feel like I went to a like ashower of some sorts there.
Speaker 2 (33:54):
Yeah, yeah, yep, they hold.
There's a small banquet roomwhich is about to get refreshed
as well, so you know weddingreceptions, different things
like that um and uh.
In the past we've hadinternational women's tennis
tournaments there, so we've beensponsors of it, but now we'll
be hosting it obviously yeahhoping to be able to bring it
(34:15):
back, because that was a great,great event and that was
pre-covid.
Speaker 1 (34:19):
So now, oh okay, so covid stopped it.
Yeah, okay.
Yeah, you can get it back.
You sure you can.
You can do anything that's.
Speaker 2 (34:26):
It's very exciting to have women from around the
world, you know here competing,yeah, and tennis is big around
here it is big, and pickleballis really big too.
Speaker 1 (34:34):
Yes, that has been growing.
Sure you've heard yes, so addedsome pickleball course.
That was the first thing, wedid it.
What a wonderful idea.
Yeah, yeah, wow.
So what else do we not knowabout you?
Any other hobbies or interests?
Speaker 2 (34:49):
yeah, I think, um, you know, really, the only thing
is I, like I said, I love artand being able to incorporate
that with our families and alsointroduce them to our artists
that we have here.
We've got amazing artists here,and we had a peace of mind event
at Derek Gore's gallery lastyear and it was so amazing.
Yes, in the daytime we had ourkids come in and work with the
(35:10):
different artists hands-on.
So they got to make little minipeople, collage people with
Derek.
And then, you know, I meanKristen Maslow was out there,
nikki Nicole Erickie, scienceCody Monaghan.
Speaker 1 (35:27):
So Cody.
Speaker 2 (35:27):
Monaghan made this amazing handprint, had the kids
do handprint on a large canvasand then came back later that
evening with this John Lennonpainted on it.
Speaker 1 (35:38):
Wow, yeah.
Speaker 2 (35:39):
And it said imagine all the people and I love that
Like it just meant so much aboutbringing people together, which
is like, really, what we try todo is try to offer something
for for everyone yeah.
All kids love sports, you knowright.
Um, some love dancing, somelove art.
So, whatever it is, I just wantto be able to connect, make
those connections, that'swonderful, because once I make
(35:59):
those connections, then thewalls and the barriers are
broken down.
Speaker 1 (36:02):
Yeah.
And then they can be morereadily, you know, involved into
the typical activities that areout there, and one connection
brings two, and you know, all ofa sudden you have a whole
community behind you.
Speaker 2 (36:20):
Now, when you do art, do you?
I mean, I know it's probablyhard for a mom to to take time
for herself, but do you paint ordo you draw?
So what I do recently is I'mone of the moms, so I used to do
, uh, these events for ourschool.
So we had a gala at thecatholic school the kids would
go to.
One of the moms said you know,could anyone do this?
It was a mosaic of the BlessedMother.
And I said you know what?
I think I could do that youknow.
(36:40):
So I Googled with a mosaic andeverything with tiles and
knocked one out and it sold forover a thousand dollars, which
was amazing.
Oh my God, and so that was like,yeah, that was my very first
stab at it, but then I loved it.
I absolutely loved it, and thekids and I.
So I work with the kids and thekids love doing it, yeah, and
(37:02):
it's very like they just sitthere, and even kids with that
are nonverbal doesn't matter,they sit down, they get to work,
they focus.
They absolutely love it.
Speaker 1 (37:12):
I can't get them away from it that wonderful.
Speaker 2 (37:13):
Now we've been making these American flags.
That is like our thing.
We can do anything.
We've done several differentthings.
We've done a sea turtle.
We've done um a mom and a babygiraffe.
When Temple Grandin came tovisit, we gifted her that um
back at the Brevard Zoo and theyhad uh, it was their safari
event that they had and she wasone of the special guests, so
(37:34):
had that.
But the american flags aregreat and they sell anywhere
between 800 to 1500.
We do coastal types um so with,so each one is different where
do you have these available, orare they?
I make a couple of them a yearwith the kids usually like two
to three a year, okay, and then,for whatever big event we're
doing, we auction it off and 100of the proceeds either go to
(37:58):
the parker foundation or we'vealso done things for girls inc
different schools.
So these flags because I'm atitle holder and I love pageants
and everything.
They've gone with me todifferent locations around the
united states and so they're indifferent homes across the.
Speaker 1 (38:15):
United States.
Speaker 2 (38:16):
But it's such a great way to show the world what our
kids are capable of.
Yeah, and to talk about youknow America how it should be
and all of us, together with ourdifferences, you know, united,
absolutely.
So we talk a lot about that andthen, yeah, just make these
beautiful pieces of art andhopefully one day, what I'd love
(38:37):
to do is have my own galleryand workspace that's what I was
going to say and employ ourkiddos, so actually give them
jobs.
Speaker 1 (38:47):
They can sort.
Speaker 2 (38:48):
I mean there's a lot of jobs they can do and the
money that these actually go forcould be, utilized to pay them
and to carry on the art programyou know I can't.
We're always looking for uniqueand different ways to help our
kids.
You know, because they needpurpose, like after they're out
of school, it's really difficultto find something for them.
This is something that I'mhearing more and more my moms
(39:10):
that are uh have kids over 18and young adults and adults.
And Brandon's 18 now he'salmost 18.
So we're going through thatwhole transition.
Speaker 1 (39:18):
We have to become guardians for him.
Speaker 2 (39:20):
So that's what it has .
It's a big deal.
Yeah, so going through a newtransition and then, like I said
, they get to stay with theschool system for a certain
amount of time, but after thatthey're adults and then trying
to find the right fit for themto have something to do so that
they have purpose yes you knowthese kids are.
They, you know, they learn alittle differently and they, you
know.
But they're valuable, but theyare valuable and they have a lot
(39:42):
of, you know, great skills andeverything yeah, you know okay
so that's next for you and yourfamily.
Speaker 1 (39:51):
What can't you do?
How are you at cooking?
I love to cook.
Yeah, you do.
Speaker 2 (39:55):
Yeah, yeah, you're a good cook, I love to cook, yeah
that's great.
Ted loves to cook too, sothat's kind of his thing he
loves to cook on the weekends,but weeknights it's for me, so
what is your?
Specialty um being from thesouth, I love a good brunch,
yeah, so so if you haven't hadgrits that you actually like, I
(40:17):
can usually turn the northernersinto loving grits.
Speaker 1 (40:20):
I love grits yeah.
Speaker 2 (40:21):
Yeah, cheesy grits, cheesy grits.
Gotta love it.
Speaker 1 (40:25):
All right.
Well, melissa, it was so nicemeeting you.
Yes, have you thought of anynominees?
Speaker 2 (40:29):
I'm going to think on it, think about it and let us
know I absolutely will.
Speaker 1 (40:33):
All right, yes, thank you so much for coming in and
educating us.
Speaker 2 (40:38):
And we look forward to everything you have to offer
the community.
I appreciate it.
Speaker 1 (40:42):
I appreciate it.
Thank you, Melissa.
To be a sponsor or nominate aguest, hit us up on Instagram at
local underscore celebrityunderscore Brevard.
Until next time, goodbye.
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