the honor of knowing Charles Boothe, and she spent much quality time with his
family and him. She saw a man dedicated to more than just business, and his
business had been a cornerstone of the Lauderhill community for 39 years, a
place where countless persons had their first job, and organizations and
individuals benefited from Mr. Boothe’s and his family’s generosity.
His
commitment to the community was unwavering, and his generosity lived on as
his family continued his legacy; his many activities included: summer jobs for
high school teens; scholarships offered to employees’ children; and he made
donations to the various athletic youth teams in the Lauderhill community. She
said the success of his business was not a solo effort, so she acknowledged
the work and dedication of Patrika Boothe, Ms. Pat, Mr. Boothe’s life partner, as
they worked tirelessly together to build their business, along with the efforts of
their other family members, particularly after Mr. Boothe’s death, to keep the
business running as a well-oiled machine.
Dr. Francine Baugh-Stewart echoed accolades for Charles Boothe and his
family’s, dedication, commitment to community, and the hard work they put into
their business as exemplified by the many years’ success of Charlie’s Pastries
since its opening. As many in the community had, she, too, benefited from the
sense of family and togetherness the Boothe family created, and continued to
do to date, and she applauded their continued support for all Lauderhill schools;
Mr. Boothe’s legacy stood as a shining example, as he was a pioneer in every
sense of the word, investing in not just his businesses, but in people, their
dreams, and the future of Lauderhill. She said that though his philanthropy he
gave generously, ensuring that the blessings he received were shared, and
renaming of the subject road was not just a recognition of Mr. Boothe, but a
tribute to a man who shaped Lauderhill’s identity, and whose legacy would
continue to inspire generations to come.
His commitment stood as a daily
reminder of what it meant to lead with compassion, build with purpose, and give
with an open heart.
Paul Baugh, a pastor at the First Church of the Open Bible, Lauderdale Lakes,
stated their church began in Lauderhill in 1984 on NW 16th Street, behind the
UPS warehouse, and in 2003 they moved to occupy their current location.
In
the early 1990s, Mr. Boothe accepted the Lord as his personal savior, and he
quickly became an active member of the church, later becoming a board
member and a deacon, being extremely instrumental behind the scenes as they
went through the building process of their present site. As stated earlier, Mr.
Boothe, through his business, provided scholarships to their graduating seniors
for many years, a tradition that continued to date, and he was very involved in
the church’s community outreach programs giving both resources and his time.
Mr. Baugh said he had been in Lauderhill since 1979, and currently resided in
the City, and he witnessed the numerous changes in the City since that time,
particularly when many Jamaicans moved into Lauderhill. He was a frequent
visitor to Charlie’s Pastries, and as residents traveled to and from work, etc., it
became a source of food for many for lunch and dinner, and during the late
1990s and early 2000s Charlie’s expanded to two more stores, and
a
distribution center in Lauderhill behind the UPS warehouse. As many area
businesses witnessed Mr. Boothe’s success, they started and/or brought their
businesses to Lauderhill. As a representative of the First Church of the Open
Bible, he said they fully endorsed the subject resolution.
A motion was made by Commissioner J. Hodgson, seconded by Vice Mayor S.
Martin, that this Resolution be approved. The motion carried by the following
vote:
