As a child growing up on Galveston Island in the 1960s and ’70s, I experienced many wonderful annual events and traditions, my favorite being our community’s annual Mother’s Day Tribute.
You can only imagine how honored and proud I felt as a youngster when my own mother was selected as a Mother’s Day honoree.
A large, lovely portrait of her was hung in the display window of a fine ladies’ apparel store in downtown Galveston for all to see.
Recognition for her role as a mother to my two brothers and me was one the most memorable events in my mother’s life.
A couple of years ago, remembering the joy this honor brought into my home and wanting to memorialize my mother, Sara Reiswerg Levy, I decided to resurrect the tradition of honoring some of our community’s beloved moms.
My friends and colleagues and I wrestled with how to recreate this event, but our discussions finally led us to the most logical conclusion — we would invite local kids to nominate their moms.
Eager to also use this event as a “teachable moment,” we joined our efforts with the local private and public school teachers and invited all island fourth-graders to sharpen their writing skills by compiling and submitting a brief 150-word essay in nomination of their mothers.
We even provided them the opening statement for their essays: “My mother deserves a diamond because…”
Why diamonds? My mother, and my grandfather before her, owned and operated Vic’s Estate and Fine Jewelry, the business I currently own and operate.
My mom was a licensed gemologist with special skills in diamonds and colored gemstones, so the gift of a diamond to a deserving mother is done in memory of my late mother.
In the three years since we reinvented this annual tribute, nearly 1,000 Galveston youngsters have shared with us their most wondrous and heartfelt sentiments about their mothers.
To our surprise, winning a diamond in this annual salute has become secondary.
The real gift is created every time a fourth-grade child authors loving thoughts and presents them to his or her mother on Mother’s Day.
This year, alone, more than 300 children paid tribute to their moms in our yearly “My mother deserves a diamond because” writing competition.
Our esteemed panel of judges — Rosetta Bonnin, Paula Devoy and Annette Wallfisch — labored over their assignment, finding it nearly impossible to select the top entries.
Nonetheless, as with any contest, three youngsters captured the judges’ special attention and earned not only a diamond, but also some other lovely prizes from businesses in Galveston that gladly participated.
This year’s winners, we are pleased to announce, are: Shyam Patel of Oppe Elementary School honoring his mom, Daxa Patel, with the first-place award of 14K diamond-stud earrings; Reagan Lasswell of Trinity School, who honors his mom, M’Linda Lasswell, with a second-place prize of a 14K gold diamond solitaire pendant; and Ashley R. Hernandez of Parker Elementary, whose mother, Eileen Inouye, won a third-place 14K gold diamond fashion ring.
The judges also named 12 students to receive honorable mention, and they are: Gabrielle A. George and dad, Joe Amevang; Kristen Long and mom, Naomi Long; Devon Lumpkins and mom, Pamela Lumpkins; Miguel Guzman and mom, Martha Guzman; Danny Grasso and mom, Susan Grasso; Destiny Martin and mom, Jovan Martin; Ben Thompson and mom, Celia Padnos; Dazya Mitchell and mom, Melody Luna; Daniil Weaver and mom, Donna Weaver; Bernard Cunningham and mom, LaKicha Veal; Crystal Garcia and grandmother, Maria Lopez; and Santos Botella and Dena Cruz. The students represent Burnet, Crenshaw, Morgan, Oppe and Parker Schools as well as Ambassadors’ Prep, Galveston Catholic, Odyssey and Satori schools.
Other generous community sponsors for this Mother’s Day Tribute include: Matthews-Daniel Company of Houston, Stephanie Hernandez, Diana Ybarra and Lena Minesinger of Diana’s Hair Salon, Rudy & Paco’s, Sky Bar Steak and Sushi, San Luis Resort, Olympia Grill, Mosquito Café, Ingrid Cooper of Austin, Speedy’s Printing, Artistic Framing, Hermes-Vieau Design, Treasure Trove and Mainland Floral.
All of these students, their mothers and teachers, were honored in a special celebration at our store Wednesday.
As for me, I’ll be reminiscing about a special spring day in 1971 when my own mother received accolades for doing what she did best — being our mother.
Sharon Levy Pagan lives in Galveston.
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