High Springs Honors MLK Legacy, Pays Tribute to Beloved Community Caregiver

HIGH SPRINGS ‒ The brisk weather was offset by the glow of community spirit at the Martin Luther King Walk held in High Springs on Jan. 20, 2025. As the end of the mile-long walk drew close, a special addition to the day was about to take place as part of the celebration. At the destination of Catherine Taylor Park, there stood a new bench and picnic table along with three potted Live Oak trees ready to plant.

This “addition” was the culmination of months of planning in a joint venture between the City of High Springs Parks and Recreation Board and The Kiwanis of Santa Fe to honor the work of Tammy Fleming, retired director of the former Martin Luther King Daycare.

Kiwanis Vice President Linda Hewlitt gave a warm welcome to the group. This was followed by Cassandra Davis from High Springs Parks and Recreation, who recounted how this day arrived.

“Forty-two years ago, a young mother came to the daycare to pick up her small son and tearfully said it would be his last day at the center because she was unable to pay to keep bringing him.

“The young mother was offered a job there at the daycare, which eventually grew into her running the daycare. For over 40 years, Tammy Fleming nurtured and cared for the young ones entrusted to her. Her work eventually extended from the original young ones on down to their children and now grandchildren,” said Davis.

“Miss Tammy” as she is known, was presented with a plaque honoring her contribution to the community along with the bench, picnic table, and the trees which were planted with “Miss Tammy's” help.

“Some people say they have to go to work,” said Tammy. “I always wanted to go to work! I wanted to go and teach my kids. To see them learn and grow and teach those young ones to go out into the world and do well.”

Learn and do well is what has happened as “Miss Tammy” counts among her former students a principal at a Gainesville high school, a dean at a local college, an anesthesiologist, and a local policeman.

“I see that policeman around town sometimes, and I love knowing he's taking care of me and my town the same way I used to take care of him,” she says with a big smile.

While she only had one son, she counts the many children she cared for as “her kids” and many of them were there to congratulate her, a line forming to hug her as she greeted them each by name.

Martin Luther King left the world with many stellar quotes among them being:

“Everybody can be great because anybody can serve. You don’t have to have a college degree to serve. You don’t have to make your subject and verb agree to serve. You only need a heart full of grace. A soul generated by love.”

On a day that has been set aside to honor his legacy, what better way than to see these words being put into action and to experience the ripple effect it spreads throughout the community.

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