Michael Gilley

Michael Gilley has been known to say, “I have more tools than God.”  The staff at CFPC is very happy to inform the public that Michael may not be exaggerating at all! 

Michael has been an incredible support to all of us at CFPC.  From the beginning, when we started writing for the grant, Michael transformed a front porch into a temporary office so that there was a place to spread paperwork out and set up computers. 

Michael celebrated with us when we got the news that CFPC had been awarded Florida’s Region 2 Parent Training and Information Center. 

Michael searched for office space with us, and was a great help in evaluating footage and giving us the word, “Nope, you won’t fit in this one!” 

When we found our Home Office, Michael was the first to say, “Now look at the potential here” (a sentence that would have been quite scary coming from someone else). 

The fact was (and remains) that Michael sees the “potential” because he is a gifted tool man, craftsman, and idea man!  He sees the “potential” because he is able to envision something, and then with hard work, sweat, and tools, he is able to “make it so.” 

Michael has:  put down floors in three offices; built a threshold, helped paint the entire office (our official edger); sanded, and varnished.  He ran the wiring for the entire phone system which was an adventure through an insulation-filled crawlspace!  Michael fixed windows and electrical outlets, installed Ethernet wiring, and moved furniture, and more furniture. 

We all came into the office one day to find a strange looking piece of equipment, which we soon learned was a scroll saw!  The scroll saw was moved into the office to create the sign for the front of our building, logo and all!   

Michael is currently creating Christmas decorations that will be placed on our front lawn, wishing all a happy holiday season! 

Michael has made so many improvements to our office that the landlord actually approached him to offer him a job.  We’d like to mention that, though he volunteers here almost on a daily basis, Michael also has a full time job! 

We could write so much more about how supportive Michael has been, and how much more work he has volunteered his time to do.   Instead, though, we want to take this opportunity to thank Michael for his creativity, his unselfish willingness to “make it so”, and for his incredibly generous soul! 

To the man with “more tools than God”…..we are blessed to have you as part of our family! 

With loving respect,

Candace Simmons, Diane Joslin, Millie Pou, and Maria Maldonado.

 

For Michael:

 

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