Friends of Florida to Hold Fund Raiser Event

The Covid virus has impacted educational systems’ budgets, shut their school buildings down. But the pandemic has reached and effected Historical school houses as well as currently occupied schools. Budgetary reverberations have constricted monies spent to maintain these educational structures, occupied or vacant by social distancing. Take the Florida Mo historic schoolhouse in which the school bell for attendance has not rung since 1938. The economic downturn has impacted planned activities and fund-raising events at this structure since last spring. A money-generating dinner for the benefit of the school house was cancelled in May. And the traditional ice cream social for the political candidate forum was forced to be abandoned in August. Maintenance and repairs of this iconic building is not supported by any school board. The building was deeded from Monroe County school district to the FOF in 2011. Its pulse to survive must rely on ongoing resuscitative efforts by the Friends of Florida.
The Friends of Florida will hold a Festive Garage Sale and Flea Market this coming Saturday Sept 5th, 2020. Proceeds will go to refurbish the interior of the school house. The market will be held adjacent to the building located in Florida Mo on Highway U entrance to the nearly invisible village of Florida. It opens at 9 am and will remain open for sales until 3 pm or until donated items are totally sold. Over 20 vendors have already committed to be present to sell their items.
Delicious food of pulled pork sandwiches, hot dogs and chili dogs, scrumptious sides of baked beans and potato salad. Homemade ice cream, cake and cookies will complement the dinner menu. All proceeds from the sale of donated items, vendor fees, and food sales will be utilized by the FOF for renovation project of the school house. The school house will be open to the public for inspection of needed repairs. The visitor/ patron will experience a historical view of one room schoolhouses that even Mark Twain described in his writings concerning the Florida School house. The only difference is that the pigs that were seen by Twain through the floor of the schoolhouse, laying in the cool of the shade, will not be present. For further information, contact Barb Nobis at Barbnoblis@gmail.com or Warren Hagan at 573 565 2400. Volunteers to set up and run the event are also sought.