By Lynn Van Lenten

Lets celebrate local people and businesses working hard to meet essential needs in our daily lives.

I am sure the word HERO brings a famous song to mind. The Foo Fighter’s Dave Grohl claims that he didn’t look up to celebrities growing up. Instead, he admired the hard work and perseverance of ordinary people. This idea is embedded in his song “My Hero.” One line goes like this, “There goes my hero. Watch him as he goes. There goes my hero. He’s ordinary.” This month let’s look at some ordinary heroes meeting everyday needs. Their contribution, day in and day out makes the statement “We Are Delray” more than ordinary! Let’s see how:

Do you have a dog who needs daycare or daily walking? How about some companionship or pet-sitting while you travel? Securing the right “hero” to provide your furry family member with the care you need is often hard to find.

Meet local hero Jill Merjeski, owner of Jill’s Next Door Dog Walking & Pet Service. Her team customizes all pet needs because any animal owner knows no two pets are the same, right? “The foundation of our award-winning company is a genuine love of animals,” said Jill. “Our team is dedicated to providing reliable, trustworthy pet care while offering peace of mind to pet owners in our community.” Jill meets every pet’s need, making her a pet hero!

Need to throw a party but need to know where to begin? It sounds like a simple task, but not to the one throwing the party! Delray has a local hero to help! Party Host Helpers provides everything party, whether a social event or corporate event, from servers, bartenders, dishwashers, and general party help to corporate event registration and festival staff.  “Party Host Helpers are my ‘go to’ for staffing events,” says Mimi Meister, owner of Charity Dynamics and Auctions. “This crew knows how to perform and execute our vision without ever having to micromanage the team. Their service to our event attendees always makes us proud”.  Party planners join me in singing, “There goes my hero!”

Now let’s look at the workplace. Are you preparing a time-sensitive project and need a notary right now – like on a Sunday night for a Monday deadline? Instead of overnighting the paperwork late (because notaries are hard to find outside work hours), try our local hero Stamp N Go Notary. Owner Sarah Lesselbaum will come to you ANY time, ANY place, seven days a week, to get the job done! Anyone with a deadline can shout out – “There goes my hero!”

That’s just three of many local, ordinary heroes. People work hard to make the ordinary extraordinary. Pet owners, party planners, and project managers join me and sing, “There goes my hero. Watch him as he goes. There goes my hero. He’s ordinary.”  But in such an extraordinary way!