A LAKE HELEN TRADITION — Lake Helen Mayor Vernon Burton leads a prayer at a recent City Commission meeting. CIty Administrator Jim Gleason is pictured in red, behind City Attorney Scott Simpson.
The city of Lake Helen has hosted a strawberry festival for the past two years with massive success.
During the June 13 City Commission meeting, the hit festival was on the agenda in hopes of getting the commission to allow for another two years of festival fun.
But this time, the commissioners bandied about a new idea: alcohol.
“This is being advertised with bounce houses and kids games etc.. seems to be more of a family event, so I vote no,” City Commissioner Heather Rutledge pointed out.
The City Commission agreed with her remarks and voted not to allow alcohol at the 2025-26 Lake Helen Strawberry Festival. The celebration will continue onward, just without beer and booze.
City of Lake Helen mayor elaborates on skipping ceremonial prayer
Lake Helen Mayor Vernon Burton skipped the traditional prayer done before a City Commission workshop June 6. Usually, various members of local churches would give a short prayer, generally on the need to work as a team and accept and respect each other.
The reason for the change was because a member of the city administrative group, Jim Gleason, is an atheist and uncomfortable with prayer.
Gleason mentioned at the May 23 workshop that he sits for the pledge because “I have a tough time with the pledge because it says under God.”
While his views may not be traditional for Lake Helen, Gleason said, they are valid.
In turn, Mayor Burton opted for a moment of silence instead of the usual prayer.
Some members of the tight-knit community took offense to this change and sounded off online on a local Facebook page, the Lake Helen Chronicles.
“Another sad day for the city. Together, we CAN overcome and restore the traditions we all hold dear. I’ll keep praying and praying and praying,” one comment read. “We need more prayers. God and Country. Period,” another said.
Citizens also questioned why their commissioner for their area hadn’t said any thing to appeal the request. Burton revisited the subject at the June 13 City Commission meeting citing multiple letters he’s received from outraged citizens.
Burton elaborated, saying he has visited all eight of Lake Helen’s churches and invited people from these communities to open the commission meetings and workshops with prayer.
“I have no problem with prayer, but out of respect for the First Amendment rights of all our citizens … I left the door open to anyone who would be so inclined to pray in their own ways,” Burton said of the moment of silence.
“I have never said anything to any of you to not pray or that your prayer bothers me in any way,” Gleason said. “I don’t attack anyone for their religion but I’m being attacked for my non-religion.”
Gleason’s response left the room quiet.
Nevertheless, Burton began the meeting June 13 in prayer and it looks like traditional prayer will continue.
