The Park's Greatest Love Story...

And the winner is....

Over Fifty Years In The Park And Still Going Strong!
We were truly blessed to receive so many touching entries to our 1st Annual Greatest Love Story contest! Severna Park is indeed a romantic place to live!
Though it was tough to narrow down the entries and pick a winner, The Voice staff read each and every entry, finally settling on one story that rang out as the most romantic, the most touching and the most indicative of true love and community spirit.
He brings communion to Genesis and has coached baseball and basketball and was previously active in the West Severna Park community. She has written for the West Severna Park Pennant, served as editor of the Severna Park AAUW newsletter, served on the Parish Council and volunteered at St. John’s Church and founded a Toastmaster’s club. They still live in the house he built during their engagement.
The Voice congratulates Dolores and Jim Miko on their Love Story!

His Eyes: Windows to the Soul

He was so handsome in his Navy dress blues! But an even stronger attraction to me on that first date in 1956 were his soft, brown eyes. They radiated kindness, integrity, gentleness, and strength. I was hooked!
Joe Miko was stationed at the Naval Reserve Officers Training School in Newport, RI, and I was a student at Salve Regina College nearby. His restricted leave and my 9:00pm weekend curfews as a freshman allowed us only a handful of dates before we said our goodbyes three weeks later at his Commencement Ball.
From there, Joe was sent to the Philippines, half a world away, and for the next 27 months we “dated” through the mails – no trans-Pacific phone calls, no e-mails, no Twitter!
Within those letters we discovered that we shared the same values and religious, educational, and economic backgrounds. Upon his return to the states, we were engaged and were married upon my graduation in June, 1960.
Our first date may have been the result of a blind date, but over the past 50 years, my eyes were opened to so many more virtues of the man I first fell in love with.
• His compassion for the sick and elderly whom he visits weekly at Genesis.
• His strength of character.
• His patience with people and in home projects.
• His gentleness toward God’s creatures.
• His selflessness in providing and caring for his family.
For me, every day was Valentine’s Day. It isn’t with expensive gifts or flamboyant dates that a man shows his love, but by the way he treats a woman – with appreciation, respect, and daily acts of kindness. Love begets love, and in this I have been most blessed!
His soft, brown eyes may have faded, but my love for Joe will never fade.

Their romance package for two also included a bottle of champagne and a framed photo!

The Voice would like to thank all fo the companies who partnered with us to offer this special package, we couldn't have done it without their help! We'd also like to thank all the residents who sent in their entries, and particularly, Dolores and Jim Miko for their touching, romantic and uniquely Severna Park love story!