Bithlo wasn't always the way it is now. Granted, that's the case with most towns, but Bithlo has changed drastically. It used to be the place-to-be, where things were happening, dancing, laughter, affluence.
Something happened... I wish I knew what... I've scoured the Internet, but it's not exactly the biggest priority on Wikipedia. Here's what I know:
"For 20 years in the early 20th century, Bithlo was an incorporated town, but in 1929 ceased to function as a town due to economic hardship. The city was finally unincorporated nearly 50 years later in 1977 but was not finalized until 1982 due to outstanding bonds and legal problems."1The town is hurting. It's the butt of jokes. It even has a reputation on Urban Dictionary*, and not a flattering one. The influential people that could help often won't, simply due to the fact that it won't necessary benefit them come election time.
Nobody really cares about a small, census-designated place in Florida, of barely 11 square miles. The people who do care aren't wasting time blogging about it; they're there: advocating, loving, sacrificing, doing, working hard on behalf of the people they care for. They're spreading the story to the surrounding communities - the communities that are supposed to be taking care of their own. The day is coming when Seattleites won't need to travel across the country to help out, because the people of Florida will have taken their own under their wing. It's coming. Bithlo is on the up and up.
But what can I say? I spent barely two weeks there. This post isn't going to tell you anything you couldn't learn by just going there. Loving the people. Talking to the ones whose hearts beat for Bithlo.
Kind of a fail history post, right here. I wish I knew more.
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1. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bithlo,_Florida
*http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Bithlo
