NEW SMYRNA BEACH -- Barack Obama and John McCain could learn a thing or two about money from 14-year Logan Colee. After all, he's going to be in the nation's capital when one of the presidential hopefuls is sworn into office in January. The New Smyrna Beach High School freshman was succinct and clear in his mission Tuesday when he addressed the New Smyrna Beach City Commission to seek funds to help supplement his trip.
The youngster briefly explained that he needs funding to secure his invitation with the Presidential Youth Inaugural Conference that includes appearances by John Edwards and his wife as well as Tour De France bicycle champion Lance Armstrong. The youth delegation will also get to witness the inauguration ceremony for the next president of the United States. The mayor told the boy she would get with City Clerk Johnny Bledsoe to take up a collection from city employees, but before he could return to his seat, Commissioner James Hathaway asked him to come forward and handed him a wad of cash.
Within seconds, people throughout the meeting room were ponying up cash while others said they felt bad because all they had on them were credit cards. Still, he walked out that night with $450 in hand, said his proud father, David Colee, 54. Not bad for a kid who made his first public speaking engagement in a public forum in front of a hundred-plus people, especially considering he had asked his father for a pen to write down some notes an hour before speaking and his pen ran out of ink. But when it came time to speak, Logan Colee was clear in his presentation.
"Tonight I came to ask you for financial support," he said, standing in front of the microphone stand and looking directly at the commissioners and Mayor Sally Mackay. "So far I have raised $2,200. And I am short $800 for my goal so far." Commissioner Hathaway was so impressed with the boy's delivery that he stood up and opened his wallet, pulling out some cold-hard cash. Soon others followed. A union worker at the meeting even lent the teen his cap so he could gather up the cash offerings. "The outpouring of support was tremendous," said the boy's father.
Logan Colee first learned of the inaugural trip when he attended the National Young Reader's Conference in Boca Raton last spring when he was recommended by his eighth-grade reading teacher Susan Berg at New Smyrna Beach Middle School. Education is stressed in the Colee family. Mom, Beanka Colee, is an eighth-grade math teacher at New Smyrna Beach Middle and dad, David Colee, is a retired New Smyrna Beach firefighter who specializes in computer networks. The Colees also have a 22-year-old daughter. David Colee said his son is short about $300, but is confident his boy will be able to generate the rest from pledged donations. The father said he's amazed at his son's courag, which proves the old adage that you can't get if you don't ask. "I would have been scared half to death," the elder Colee said of his son's appearance.
NSBNEWS.net photo by Sera King. Cutline: Logan Colee, 14, of New Smyrna Beach, stands tall with his father, retired New Smyrna Beach firefighter David Colee, after asking the City Commission to help him fund his educational trip to the presidential inauguration in Washington D.C. His efforts paid off.