Tamarac State of the City address by Mayor Michelle Gomez. {City of Tamarac}
Dear Neighbors,
Welcome to February! While it is the shortest month of the year, it is a month dedicated to love, friendship, compassion, commemoration, and celebration. We have a lot going on this month, so be sure to read through as there should be something for everyone to enjoy!
Every February, we pay tribute to America’s history by celebrating our nation’s Presidents and recognizing the rich history and amazing contributions of the African American community. We started the celebration last month with a tribute to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. through music, dance, and the spoken word. Now please join us on Wednesday, February 11th, as we recognize five outstanding African American Leaders for their impactful contributions to the community during the 7:00 p.m. City Commission Meeting.
Another chance to celebrate the rich culture of our community will be at our One Tamarac: Multicultural Festival, on Saturday, February 7th, from 4:00 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Tamarac Sports Complex (9901 NW 77th Street). Bring the whole family for a variety of performances, an exhibition area, children’s fun zone, food vendors, and a laser light show. On-site parking is limited, so please make use of the free shuttle buses that will be available to visitors departing from City Hall, 7525 NW 88th Ave., and the Community Center, 8601 W. Commercial Blvd.
This Valentine’s Day marks eight years since the Marjorie Stoneman Douglas High School shooting in Parkland. Our thoughts are with the families of the victims, with the first responders, and with everyone affected by that terrible tragedy. May we always remember and celebrate the lives of those we lost and those effected by the events of that day. We can honor them by spreading love and kindness today and every day! Remember, we do not always know that is going on in the world of another person and something as a simple as smiling at another person can brighten their day.
Join us on Thursday, February 19th from 12:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m., as we host Black History Month Fashion Show at TCC and then later that evening, a Taste of Tamarac hosted by the Tamarac North Lauderdale Chamber of Commerce, from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at Colony West (6850 NW 88th Avenue).
Move with the Mayor Free Classes for February
What better way to prepare for Valentine’s Day, start the day’s celebration, and then burn off the chocolate than with this month’s free Move with the Mayor fitness events! Please join me for:
Zumba from 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., on Monday, February 2nd and 20/20/20 from 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., on Thursday, February 19th, both at Tamarac Park (TPK – 7501 N. University Drive)
5K Club from 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m., Saturday, February 14th, and every 2nd Saturday of each month, to walk or run at your own pace. Join us at the Westernmost parking lot of Tephford Park, 10003 Southgate Blvd. While the event is free, we appreciate you registering at: https://runadic.com/running-edge-954
And mark your calendar now for next month’s classes, Multi-Level Line Dancing from 12:45 p.m. to 1:45 p.m. on Tuesday, March 3rd at Tamarac Community Center (TCC 8601 W. Commercial Boulevard) and 30 Squared from 7:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. on Thursday, March 19th, at TPK.
Thank you to HCA Woodmont Hospital for your support of the Move with the Mayor fitness events!
Are you ready to have a PAW-SOME time?! As a Mom to two dogs and two cats, I’m very excited about our 2026 Furever Friends Pet Expo, Saturday, February 21st, from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at Tamarac Park (7501 N. University Dr.)! There will be adoptable rescue pets of all ages for people of all ages onsite, learn about specially trained canine companions, Pet CPR training by the American Red Cross, dog training demonstrations, a red-carpet pet parade, pet product vendors, food, music, and more! (On-site vaccines, microchipping, and registration will be available through Broward County Animal Division at a reduced fee. Details are being finalized as this article is being written).
We invite all furbabies to attend with their pet parents. There will be an off-leash locations for the pups (large and small) to run around and enjoy as well! So join us for a purrrfectly good, tail-wagging, feather-flying good time and possibly adopt your next FurEver friend!
We’re also collecting canned pet food donations for our City’s pet pantry to help residents with pets and for other charities. Parking will be available in the plazas both north and south of the park.
Are you involved with pet rescues for cats, birds, or dogs, or have products to help our pets and want to participate? Please email me at MayorGomezEvents@tamarac.org, or call (954) 597-3462 for more information.
Services and Health Reminders
If you or someone you know is in need, please contact Tamarac’s Social Services department at 954-597-3626 or go to the website: Tamarac.org/SocialServices. For additional services/resources, please visit FeedingSouthFlorida.org, 211-Broward.org, or Area Agency on Aging of Broward County (Shine) through adrcbroward.org or call (954) 745-9567, or visit the City’s Food Pantry and Pet Pantry.
Valentine’s Day is National Donor Day, which raises awareness of life-saving donations like organs, tissues, marrow, platelets, and blood. Did you know that about 20 people die daily waiting for an organ transplant? Or that for patients in need of a bone marrow transplant, 70 percent of them do not have a matching donor in their family? One step you can take is becoming a registered organ and tissue donor. Another is joining the donor registry to become a living donor. To register, visit https://registerme.org.
Additionally, February signals the start of National Cancer Prevention Month and American Heart Month. As a breast cancer survivor, I encourage you to take care of your body and reach out to your healthcare provider to monitor and discuss ways to improve your health. To learn more about cancer prevention, please visit the American Association for Cancer Research website at https://cancerprogressreport.aacr.org/progress/cpr20-contents/cpr20- preventing-cancer-identifying-risk-factors. According to the CDC, in the U.S. one person dies from heart disease every 34 seconds, and heart disease is the leading cause of death for men, women, and people from a majority of every ethnic group in the country. For advice and tips to protect yourself from this deadly disease, please visit https://www.cdc.gov/heartdisease/prevention.htm. Health is wealth, and taking care of ourselves is one of the greatest acts of love we can carry out in this lifetime.
Want to make a positive impact on people’s lives? Please consider donating blood to help increase reserves at local health facilities for accident victims and those undergoing cancer treatments and surgery. To find a location near you, please visit https://www.aabb.org/for-donors-patients/give-blood or https://www.oneblood.org/donate-now.
Happy Black History Month, Valentine’s Day, Chinese New Year, Lunar New Year, and Presidents’ Day!
Warmest regards,
🎗️ Michelle
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