The Friends of Cypress Gardens have established a warm and good relationship with Kent. Although there is no longer a need to sit at the computer for 16-20 hours per day, as an organization, we will do everything in our power to ensure the success of the Park we love so dearly. I still get countless letters each day and forward questions, vendors, etc. on to Kent. I still have 2,597 letters to answer, 846 which are still unopened. Kent is having a sign made to go in the Flags area of the entrance to honor the FOCG. That will mean a great deal to those of us who worked so diligently. It gives me much joy to know our members can proudly pose for photos by this sign with their family and friends for being a part of this wonderful effort to save the Gardens.

And of course I am personally working on having the Miss America Outstanding Teen contestants visit the park to start that fabulous tradition.

Many of our members have expressed a desire to have regular reunions and I think that is a marvelous idea! We will always be available to help in any way we can.

One of your rallying points -- beyond saving the attraction itself, of course -- was that 529 jobs were lost when the park closed down. The park is clearly hiring more than that these days. What do you value more, the fact that you helped save the park or the fact that you -- almost single-handedly -- created a wealth of new jobs in Winter Haven?

Both... I have volumes of letters from former employees that ripped our hearts out. Some people had to move. Others feared losing their homes and automobiles. They went to bed in panic wondering how they would put food on the table for their children. Some were second and third generation employees. They were there because of love, not because of a great salary. Sometimes when we were exhausted, we would get yet another letter with an impassioned plea to keep going... so with renewed energy Shanna and I would continue our work. I knew that the economy of Polk County depended on a successful Cypress Gardens. We knew that restaurants, hotels, retail shops, Mom and Pop businesses along Highway #27 and in surrounding towns would grow and flourish because of the Gardens being saved and I think the best is yet to come!

It also gives me great joy to see the restored magnificent Gardens with those wonderful bones created by Dick and Julie Pope. This national icon with many of her traditions is still here and will bless millions in future generations for decades to come. We could never create a duplicate Cypress Gardens and we want Kent to be a success so no one will ever have to go through this ordeal again.

If Kent offered to rename any of the rides after you in honor of your preservation efforts, which would you choose and why?

What a lovely thought... I adore the Island in the Sky... What an honor that would be... But because I am a traditionalist, I don't think I could even imagine that. However, I would weep, be beyond thrilled and honored to have the double carousel named for my work. It could perhaps be the BDP Carousel of Love to represent the motives for our efforts.

The animal exhibits and the water park have yet to open yet the park is already having trouble keeping up with all of the demand for parking on busy days, especially when a major concert is taking place. Is this a good problem for the park to have?

Of course the need more parking is a wonderful problem to have if you must have a problem! It is too late to implement our parking and traffic plans. We knew it would be imperative to keep the 10 acres for parking which Larry Maxwell pulled out of the land along Cypress Gardens Boulevard. But there are other things that can be done now to help. I have suggested a parking garage to Kent rather than buying off site parking and busing people in as he has mentioned. Off site parking could be a great inconvenience in time and hassle especially for senior citizens and parents with children at the end of a long day. There are several garages around the nation that were built with planters along each floor. The foliage grows and cascades down to blend in with the surrounding areas. I hope for the convenience of the guests, the parking garage will prove to be more cost effective than purchasing and preparing land, purchasing buses, and being required to drive guests to and from their cars on off site parking.

We also planned to get permits to exit the Gardens from the parking area without going down Helena Road. That should never have happened to a residential area.

Too many of us spend our lives wondering if we will ever make a difference. You did. You helped save Florida's original theme park. Will there be a book? Has anyone offered to make a movie about all of this?

Thank you Rick. The week before the Gardens closed I prayed a fervent prayer. Our children were grown and God had given me an unusual basket of talents and experiences. I had less years left to live than I had already lived. I earnestly asked God to use those remaining years and my talents to help people and glorify him. When the Gardens closed on that horrible day, as with Ester I believe God chose me to do this job and lead this effort. I don't know exactly why because there are certainly many people I feel would have been much more qualified. Perhaps he chose someone who lived outside the area who would not become involved in local politics. I do not know. I do know that what ever we do in life, passion should be our fuel. Passion motivates, stirs your creative juices, and gives you an extra measure of energy when you feel you can go no farther. The possible loss of the cradle of Florida Tourism, Cypress Gardens was certainly easy to be passionate about. There is a poem I have loved since I was a child. It is good for us all... It says:

I am only one,
But I am one,
And what I can do I should do,
And what I should do
By the grace of God I will do.

After hearing the comments on the final day, one of our goals was to show folks that each and every human being has significance. We wanted people to know what can be accomplished when we work together. God put each person on earth for a reason. And true joy comes from fulfilling God's purpose. We met extraordinary people in this effort. Some were rich and some were poor. Some were educated and some had dropped out of school. There were both men and women from all races. The thing we had in common was a genuine deep love for the special place called Cypress Gardens. So many who were involved and even those who watched have written to say they will never avoid doing something because they are just one person!

MANY people have asked me to do a book and we do have years of friends in the film industry. What I am doing in that area must for now remain a secret in my heart.

What is the next challenge for Burma Davis Posey?

We have now lived in Orlando, the Tourism Capital of the World for 34 years. Our second home was in Asheville, NC where the beautiful Biltmore House is located. Both areas depend on the tourism industry. I want to stay in Florida and actually work to help my adopted State in the areas where I have talents and experience.

God has laid several things on my heart. I am passionate about saving our heritage and utilizing history to teach our young people. I also have a burden to grow the film industry in Florida.

Film is the No. 1 export product for the United States and Florida should be the No. 1 State producing film. We have an abundance of talent in central Florida alone because of what Disney and Universal has brought to our area... actors, directors, writers, technicians, etc. We have a climate that can be utilized year round. Yet North Carolina, Louisiana, California, and soon Mississippi are drawing more producers to film their projects than we are. Canada is knocking us out of the water! They are offering 10% towards the budget of any film made there. Even the movies made for the Lifetime network are going to Canada. They have learned when a film is produced in an area, it means business for everyone around in addition to those actually in the industry... hotels, restaurants, products needed, etc. I would love to help create jobs by growing the film industry in Florida.

I was most fortunate to be mentored during my year as Miss Georgia 1968 under the genius Bill Hardman. Bill is the man who invented the concept of Welcome Centers along the interstates. I loved marketing our wonderful State so much the House and Senate passed a bill making me the official hostess for Georgia. This enabled the State to finance my public relations trips. I had the honor to speak in 27 of our 50 states to promote the many reasons people should visit Georgia. I especially enjoyed promoting the restoration of the waterfront in Savannah which was a revolutionary idea at the time. So any job that would promote tourism in our hurricane ravaged State would be rewarding.

I would rather visit historical sites than eat food!!! I have long had a dream of writing and producing an elegant tabletop book on the Governor's Mansions of our country. I recently told Governor Bush about this and he loved the idea. The curator of his home in Tallahassee has offered to help in any way she can. My high school class mate, Sonny Perdue is now Governor of Georgia and I would love to do the book while Sonny and his sweet wife Mary are in office. I would have photos of the exteriors, beautiful interior shots, and photos of their gardens. In addition to the regular history, there would be anecdotes about something humorous that had happened at each home and something touching. Walt Disney said you must make people laugh and make people cry. I think historians, interior designers, architects, and politicians would enjoy the beautiful book that is in my head.

It was so much fun researching the wedding possibilities, perhaps God will have me do a wedding complex somewhere. Perhaps Kent will ask me to do it at Cypress Gardens. We are serious collectors and I would also love to do a themed tearoom with a tribute to America, Great Britain, a Gentleman's library to honor authors, and a luscious ladies room. Then people could actually slow down and take time to visit with each other! It would be a pleasure to surround our guests with museum pieces while they dine on fine china, with silver and beautiful crystal with soothing music in the background rather than just having them go through a gallery... Oh how much fun it would be to plan dress up birthday parties for little girls where they can wear hats and gloves!

There are many things in my heart. So many ideas and only one lifetime... God always has a plan and He always has His own timetable. Right now, I am caring for my Mother and trusting we will have her once again impersonating Phyllis Diller and making people laugh. I take joy in watching Shanna doing a wonderful job raising Adam. I look forward to seeing what God is planning for our beautiful Summer in Hollywood. I have served as a passionate volunteer for over 36 years. Perhaps it is time for me to work for a salary!!! So Rick, if you hear of an interesting job that can use a determined, passionate, experienced person with strong leadership abilities, you give me a call!!!