Miami Lakes residents and local business owners marked the town's anniversary with remarks recalling how the Graham family helped create the community and donated land for parks and youth athletics.

A participant recounting family history said Ernest R. Graham, who had worked for the Pennsylvania Sugar Company, founded Graham's Dairy in January 1932 after area sugarcane plans proved unworkable. "At that time, we milked cows. We bottled. We produced. We delivered," the speaker said, describing the dairy's early operations and the family's later decision in the late 1950s and early 1960s to develop their land rather than sell it for about $3,000 an acre.

Gary Snow, owner of Snow's Jewelers on Main Street, said his business was "actually the first lease on the street." He recounted signing a lease in late 1983 and opening in March 1984. Snow and other longtime residents highlighted the Graham Companies' donation of parkland that enabled local youth sports: "The Graham Companies donated this land," one speaker said, and the Optimist Clubhouse was supported by fundraising in which Don Shula and his wife, Dorothy, were "instrumental," according to those remarks.

Wayne Slayton, who identified himself as the first mayor of Miami Lakes, described incorporation as a community response to limited county support: he said the community was more than 30 years old when residents sought city status because Dade County was not spending adequate resources in Miami Lakes. According to speakers, county law after the election required formation of a charter committee and submission of a charter back to the county within three months.

The transcript records the final charter vote as taking place on 12/05/2000, a date speakers repeatedly called the town's birthday. "We built a town from scratch," one participant said, reflecting on early projects such as town hall, 87th Avenue, the youth center and the Optimist Park Clubhouse. Speakers noted that the governance framework created at incorporation has continued to guide the town.

Speakers praised the town's parks and recreation system as unusually extensive for the county, citing numerous tot lots and multiple beachfront parks and describing long-term community benefits from organized youth sports. Local civic leaders also praised current and past elected officials; speakers named George Dieguez in that context, and later Josh Dieguez — who identified himself as mayor during the remarks — addressed the crowd: "It's my privilege and honor to be presiding over our 25th anniversary celebration," he said.

The event mixed historical recollection with civic pride: residents, business owners and past officials emphasized both the private investment and local organizing that led to Miami Lakes' incorporation and civic institutions. No formal votes or council actions were recorded in the remarks presented in the transcript.

The celebration concluded with the mayor offering congratulations and a forward-looking comment about continuing growth and stewardship of the town's character.