Hi, My name is Valerie Watkins and I am the founder and President of e-FLASH Newsletter, LLC. I started coming to Vero close to 45 years ago when my parents were one of the first to build in Summer Place. It was then that I started referring to it as my ‘favorite place in the world’. I have been married to my husband, Howell Watkins for 30 years and we made the big move from Miami to call Vero home a few years ago! Howell grew up in the neighboring city of Fort Pierce where his father was one of t he prominent family physicians for over 40 years. We have three children who are learning what it is like to be out of college and working in the ‘real world’.I started FLASH when my youngest went off to college and I had a severe case of the empty nest syndrome. I toyed with the idea of returning to work after being a stay-at-home mom. I had worked for several non profits in Miami and served as the Director for one. Years later I started a community youth non profit in Miami with my daughter and it is no secret that my passion is helping others. It wasn’t long before I had the idea to begin an email newsletter that would link our community and turn each subscriber into a ‘FLASHER In-The-Know’. In addition to printing 10,000 copies of the ‘Community Calendar’ every month, FLASH publishes a weekly newsletter. We keep you current on what’s going on around town, spotlight positive people, include some fun generic postings and provide a venue on our bulletin board for our 7,000+ FLASH Subscribers to ask for referrals, help, or ideas. It is our FLASHERS who respond and I love that we are contributing and restoring some old fashioned “neighborly compassion.” We are all experts in certain areas and people really do want to help each other. How often do we think how nice it would be to turn back the hands of time to the “good ole’ days” when people were kinder and took the time to communicate and help each other. Well…that’s what our ‘Community Bulletin Board’ is all about. So, venture back to that period with us. Grab your cup of coffee on Thursday mornings as you sit and read our e-Flash newsletter. Please always feel free to comment, send a post/flash, recommend a positive person or reply to one of our fellow subscriber’s postings. Team Flash is composed of family and friends and we can’t wait to help link you with your “neighbors-in-the-know.”