By Lesley Keays
Herald Correspondent
Park Drive Gallery can be found on a modest strip plaza in Sanford. Currently, the art gallery is holding an online auction to raise funds for its organization.
CaSandra Williams shared how this unique arts mecca came to be.
Born and raised in Sanford, Williams credits Goldsboro Elementary School, and specifically her teacher, Betty Washington, for inspiring her to learn. “Betty told me that if I could read, I could do anything in the world that I wanted,” recalls Williams.
For more than 15 years, Williams served as a police officer for the City of Orlando. Upon retirement from law enforcement, she chose to work in the nonprofit sector for several Central Florida entities. She applied her knowledge of the law to assist families in economic distress as well as elders and the disabled in the local area.
Williams then served as a Missionary in both Ghana, West Africa and the Bahamas, serving first as a family liaison for disaster recovery, and later as an advocate for women and children. “In Ghana I taught that community is family,” Williams notes.
With a love of going abroad firmly cemented, Williams opened a travel agency. Soon after, the pandemic descended upon the world, she was forced to shutter her business. “I asked God, ‘What are the opportunities available now?”
The answer came in the form of what is known today as Park Drive Gallery. It is a vibrant sanctuary for artists from all walks of life, all levels of proficiency, and all forms of art.
“People who need our space have found the atmosphere incredibly supportive. It’s a cultural center serving unmet needs,” Williams declares.
The Gallery boasts a program for adults with developmental disabilities. Three days a week, for a nominal fee, the Gallery hosts men and women who may not have routine access to art, music and group activities elsewhere. They are accompanied by their caregivers who join in the education. This program is expanding and open to new students.
Upcoming events include paint parties, quilting classes and open studios, where participating artists and their works are featured.
“We have so much to offer our community,” concludes Williams.
For more information, please contact CaSandra Williams via email at [email protected] or by phone at 407-487-0911.
