Ashley Moody was honored in a special ceremony Tuesday at Sunrise Park.
The Plant City native is the highest elected official in Plant City history and the city commemorated her election by purchasing several signs to display on major entrances to the city that officially congratulate her for the victory.
“The Moody family believes in hard work, character and — above everything else — honor and honesty in everything that they do,” Mayor Rick Lott said. “Today we are placing signage in several entrances to our city honoring Ashley Moody as Florida’s next attorney general. Or as Ashley likes to say, ‘Florida’s top cop.’”
Every city commissioner along with Moody’s family and friends attended the event.
Moody’s family has served the community for years and her local roots run deep.
Her grandfather served in the state legislature and was a judge in the Thirteenth Judicial Circuit Court, her father is a federal judge, her brother is a lawyer and she attributes much of her determination to watching her mother pursue her law degree while raising her family.
Her mother, Carol, was also at the event and said that at a very young age Moody showed a passion for public service.
“She was a great organizer, she always organized her sister and brother and me to do almost anything she asked us to do,” she said. “And then we thanked her for the opportunity to do it. She shows great leadership skills. But we couldn’t be prouder of Ashley for all of her hard work in accomplishing this goal. Ashley, we are incredibly proud of you.”
She reminded her daughter to always remember her roots and to never forget that she was Plant City royalty — Moody was crowned Strawberry Queen in 1993.
Moody thanked everyone for continuing to show her support. She said regardless of political affiliation Plant City always had her back and the lessons she learned here she has carried with her throughout her entire life.
Vice Mayor Nate Kilton said Moody was tenacious, steadfast and strong and a fantastic wife and mother. Listing characteristics that he felt represented Moody, Kilton said she embodies the qualities that make Plant City so unique.
“We know that you’re going to do what’s right, even when people aren’t looking,” Kilton said.
Moody greeted the crowd and shook all of their hands, thanking them for taking time to attend the ceremony and pointed to the crowd singling out people like her dentist and a cheer coach that spent their lives supporting her and teaching her important life lessons.
She joked that she learned about justice in the living room of Commissioner Mike Sparkman’s house. She said when she and her siblings were children and had done something wrong they were brought in one at a time and questioned, teaching her due process and justice well before she ever considered becoming a judge.