It was an evening of gratitude toward Sharon Moody as she was presented with the 2022 Plant City Family YMCA Strong Leader Award on Aug. 25.
Many came out for the event, which was also an appreciation dinner, held inside the Trinkle Center at the Plant City Hillsborough Community College branch.
Moody, a Plant City native, was recognized by the local YMCA for being a prominent part in the Plant City community with her efforts to help its growth and prosperity.
For more than four decades she has assisted various organizations, events, and schools. From 1979 to 1981, she worked as a teacher’s aide for Hillsborough County schools and was a cheerleading coordinator for the Plant City Colts youth football and cheer team. In 1994, she worked for the state of Florida as a revenue specialist and worked at SunTrust Bank.
Moody is also the founder and past president of both the Plant City Black Heritage Celebration Inc. and the Plant City Junior League Woman’s Club. She has served as the event coordinator for the Black Heritage Gala and Jazz Festival, celebrating Black History Month.
In 2016, her tireless work earned her the Citizen of the Year award and she was named as the Grand Marshal for the Florida Strawberry Festival Parade in 2021.
She has served as a member of the Unity in the Community organization for over 13 years, being its former chairwoman and its current treasurer.
However, her personal relationships with people have had much impact as well – especially with friends.
“Our friend Sharon is easy to have fun with because she has learned to love her life and not to take it too seriously. She has learned the true-life lesson, and that is to laugh at yourself,” said her friend Marsha Passmore, who is her fellow board member for the Unity in the Community organization. “Sharon is a name that indicates the gift of gab and the ability to effortlessly persuade others.”
And there are instances when Moody has embraced others in the community.
“She’s like a sister to Marsha and me,” said friend Dodie White, sister of Passmore. “We’re so blessed to have each other but we’re also blessed to have people like Sharon.”
White and Passmore affectionately refer to Moody as their “sista.”
They broke down the word as an acronym, using each letter to describe Moody: S is for her sweet smile; I is for her infectious laugh; S is for her service; T is for her tremendous talent; and A is for her admirable abilities.
White and Passmore recounted an instance when they went on a cruise with their mother and Moody.
“She treated our mother just like she would’ve treated her own mother,” White said.
Moody has also shown her support for the youth, becoming the coordinator for the Junior Miss Plant City pageant and serving as the director of the Plant City Boys & Girls Club from 2004 to 2009.
The Plant City Kiwanis Club, of which she was governor, collaborated with Stingray Chevrolet employees, and the Plant City High School Key Club for the annual Christmas for An Angel event. For over 30 years, this function has provided under-privileged kids with toys for the holidays.This past December, the Kiwanis Club collected over 3,500 toys to distribute to chosen students from 18 schools in Hillsborough County.
However, the charitable offerings didn’t stop there. Moody along with the Kiwanis Club and Key Club members handed out heavy bags of toys for kids outside of the Sadye Gibbs Martin Community Center.
She also serves as the vice president and a committee member for the Christmas Parade in Plant City.
The Black Heritage Celebration also holds the annual Lots of Hugs Summer Reading Camp to help kids improve their reading skills. As a director for the summer program, Moody has assisted in cooking over 13,000 meals for over 100 kids in the last 12 years.
One youth that she has had influence on is her grandson Denzel Singleton.
Since he returned to Plant City in 2008 after leaving California, he has spent much time with his grandmother is and developing a closer bond with her.
“To be able to watch her, has been the most impactful and influential thing I have ever experienced,” Singleton said. “Her love and support surpass anything and everything that we go through.”
That support can be seen in her dedication to the local Kiwanis Club which she has been a member of for 15 years.
As a member, she has held nine district-level positions and five club-level positions. Moody has also been the recipient of the Kiwanis International President Challenge Award, the Distinguished Lt. Governor Award, and the Distinguished President Award.
This year she partnered with the Plant City Police Department, the City of Plant City, and Kiwanis Literacy Clubs of California for the Kiwanis ‘N Cops ‘N Kids program. Through a book drive, the local police department collected almost 500 books over the summer, while Kiwanis Literacy Clubs donated 100 brand new books.
Every first Tuesday of the month, starting on Sept. 6, kids will be able to read with Kiwanis members and police officers at Bruton Memorial Library, a school, or a park.
On Oct. 1, she will take the office as the Florida District Governor – a term that lasts until September of next year.
During the ceremony, a slide show was displayed with family, friends, and acquaintances, each taking a moment to express their love and gratitude for Moody.
Afterward, she was presented with her award by Shelly Carroll of the Plant City Elks Lodge, and Paul Conley, the center executive director at the Plant City Family YMCA.
“I’d like to thank all of you who believed and joined me in this unforgettable journey tonight,” Moody said. “These accomplishments are truly a significant milestone in my life.”