Early in the morning as the sun rises and as you make your way down Wilton Drive, you will see the city of Wilton Manors has their cleaning team making sure every piece of trash has been picked up and that there is no refection of the night before.
At times, you will see new plants being planted like recently in front of the Pub and beyond. You will see early bird business owners speaking to each other and saying hi to the walkers and runners stopping by for a pleasant hello. The day begins in one of the most visited and beloved LGBTQ destinations in the world. This day also starts for a tremendous amount of local residents who have migrated from all over the world to be part of this unique and vibrant community. Behind the scenes of this amazing city are hundreds if not thousands of unsung heroes.
As the early morning evolves, you will see many people having their morning coffee at Java Joes. Those team members woke up early. Prepared to serve with a smile. They work incredibly hard. They start our day off just right. The same thing is happening at Storks for many years along with the Starbucks on 26th St., Over Easy Cafe and recently Bagels & Co is a great addition to the morning vibe of Wilton Manors. There are other great destinations as well. These committed business owners and team members are dedicated to making our lives better. Not every day the people who walk through those establishments are having the best day. It just feels like these unsung heroes make all of us feel just a little better when we need it.
As lunchtime arrives, the kitchens are ramping up to serve some of the tastiest lunches around. The kitchen staff tirelessly preps the food as the chefs direct their every move. The Pub, Rosies, Spencers, Bona, Alibi and so many other places employ hundreds of hard workers all to make our daily life experiences better with a team that is determined to brighten our day. They have a passion to be the best. The kitchen team and servers get ready for the crowds. The servers' friendly smiles and warm demeanor get ready for the front line. Day in and day out, they are part of what makes the greatness of our little city known all over the world. They are all unsung heroes.
Wilton Drive begins to feel busy around 3 p.m. The happy hour crowd is making their way to their favorite places. Each place has its unique decor and feeling when you walk in. The bartenders are the heart beat of our experiences. Their life stories and engaging thoughtfulness makes our day for many community members. They become our friends. They are a part of our lives. At many places there is extraordinary talent entertaining us. Jennifer McClain is a time tested beloved community icon. Rick Leonard performs by putting his heart and soul on the line every time he appears at a place on the Drive. Tony And Gloria are simply great and loyal to our community for decades. Entertainers like Nikki Adams, Tiffany Arieagus, Electra, Velvet Lenore, Jessica Channing, Kitty Meow, Joe Posa, T.P. Lords, Erika Norell, Vauz Allen and so many others make our community what it is today. Their commitment to excellence in every performance is beyond inspiring. The amount of talent is incredible and enhances our experiences in ways that truly sets our community apart from the rest. All of these amazing people are unsung heroes.
As the evening arrives, the restaurants and nightclubs prepare for another incredible evening. The kitchen at places like Tropics, Spencers, Bona’s, Teejays, Nates, Ethos and so many others have a team of hardworking kitchen crew, chefs, servers trying to make our experiences the very best. The hustle and bustle is overwhelming at times. Night after the night, the job gets done and another great evening for our community visitors and local residents. The DJs get ready at the Manor, Hunters, Eagle, Ramrod, Scandals, Johnson's, Boardwalk and so many other places so we can have an incredible time with our friends. The bartenders, cleaning crew, managers. Everyone all committed to our experience. Again, unsung heroes.
The early morning arrives, and it all begins to happen all over again. Next time you are out, give an extra tip, bigger smile and heartfelt thank you to our service industry and entertainers. They have built a solid foundation in our beautiful city that allows for us to live our best lives. THANK YOU to all our unsung heroes. We appreciate and thank you for all you do. George Kessinger, your idea to put Wilton Drive on the world map worked!
Bobby Blair is a LGBTQ media pioneer and leader known for his philanthropic work on behalf of the LGBTQ+ community. A Florida native, he lives in Fort Lauderdale with his longtime partner, Brian Neal. Blair was inducted into the GLBT Hall of Fame in 2015.
