Feature
On the Move
Kelly Morphy takes each move as an opportunity to better herself and
the community that she calls home.
- Kate McDonald
- Fred Lopez
Equating distance can be tricky. Is it measured in minutes? Or miles? Perhaps, it’s better measured in memories and lessons learned.
For Kelly Morphy, the distance between her home island of Guam and her home in Winter Garden is a whopping 8,227 miles, which takes more than 20 hours of plane travel. However, this long journey has been loaded with valuable life lessons.
Kelly has dedicated her life to improving the many places she has called home, and she has made meaningful connections within her community. Her life is full of purpose, with a deep commitment to helping others.
Kelly has never been scared of movement. In fact, it has had a profound impact on both her personal and professional life. When Kelly was 7 years old, her family moved from Ohio to the American Territory of Guam. Kelly’s parents had lived in Guam before she and her elder siblings were born, but always knew they would come back. They believed that Guam was the perfect place to raise children and grow their family.
“Culturally, Guam is very different,” Kelly laughs, “Growing up there, I learned to appreciate the important things on the island, like family and community. Since Guam is a small island, bringing people together is crucial.”
In Guam, the norm is to greet and acknowledge anyone who crosses your path. Stopping to say hello (Hafa Adai) and exchanging pleasantries was an integral part of daily life. She says, “I grew up knowing that it doesn’t matter how small an island is, only how large the hearts of the people are.”
Despite the fact that Kelly is not Chamorro, she grew up knowing Chamorro formalities and values. How it’s customary to show respect to everyone, no matter who they are, especially elders—and whether it’s a birthday party, community service, or a fundraiser, everyone lends a hand. Because everyone in Guam is family. These values were woven into her psyche at an early age, further defining who she is and how she interacts with the world as an adult.
This deep connection to community, as evidenced by Kelly’s experiences, is a compelling illustration of how the environment around us profoundly shapes our identities. Similarly, sports also contribute significantly. In 1980, when Kelly first moved to Guam, girls’ soccer was just emerging as a sport. At that time, it was unfamiliar and undeveloped, but soccer, like most sports, is a universal language. It has the power to unify people and break down cultural, religious, and economic boundaries.
Upon enrolling in the public school system, Kelly’s family discovered a youth soccer league, which Kelly joined immediately. Little did she know, she was igniting a passion that would intricately thread the theme of movement throughout her life.
Outside of exercise, playing soccer helps kids build valuable life skills, such as hard work, decision-making, problem-solving, and communication. Through healthy competition, it also teaches the importance of teamwork and cooperation, balanced by good sportsmanship. For pre-teen Kelly, it was just fun.
“I didn’t do it to make friends or go into it with relationship building in mind. I just loved to play. I met my two best friends in that youth soccer league, both of whom are still a part of my life today,” she reflects.
Cycle of Life
As idealistic as it was to grow up on a tiny island nation, Kelly yearned for more as she grew up. And the only way to do that was to keep moving. And move she did.
A collegiate soccer scholarship took her from Guam to The University of San Francisco in 1991, where once again her involvement in sports led her to lasting friendships and the ability to “grow where planted.” When the lure of island life called again, Kelly packed up her bags and her soccer balls and transferred to the University of Hawaii in 1993, before returning home to graduate from the University of Guam in 1997. Marriage, life, career, and kids brought her back stateside to California for nearly a decade until 2007, when Kelly moved with her family from California to Central Florida.
“As a family, we wanted to be closer to loved ones, and living in a community where there is better air quality was important to us.” This gave Kelly another opportunity as a community advocate, but more importantly, as a mother to impart lasting lessons to her children. As Kelly says, any place is as good as we make it. “I have moved all over the world and one thing I have found is that you can make a community for yourself anywhere.”
After a lifetime of movement—packing and unpacking boxes, exploring new horizons, experiencing diverse cultures, and pursuing various opportunities—Kelly conscientiously chose Winter Garden to place roots. In the same manner that her parents envisioned Guam as the ideal place to raise a family, Kelly similarly elected Winter Garden. Since then, she has invested her time, talent, and treasure to actively contribute to our community, striving to make it a better place. Most recently, she became executive director of the Florida Bicycle Association, whose mission is to advance the movement toward active transportation and improved health and well-being for all people.
However, she doesn’t consider herself the typical passionate bicyclist that people would expect. “Even though I’m the executive director of a bicycle advocacy group, I’m not the type of bicyclist that a lot of people would think I would be in this role. I hop on my bike every now and again, but I would never consider myself a cyclist,” she chuckles, “I don’t want to pretend to be anyone I’m not.”
Yet, her commitment to staying physically active and advocating for bikeability in the community is unwavering.
“I ride my bike to the YMCA, and last year, I even rode it to vote. My kids are fortunate enough to bike or walk to school,” Kelly says.
“I strongly believe that every community should be bikeable and walkable. It’s not just about staying fit or preserving a healthy environment; it’s a fundamental human right. In today’s world, where the cost of living is constantly on the rise, owning, insuring, and maintaining a car can be prohibitively expensive for many people. For me and countless others, being able to run errands and commute without needing a car would be a dream come true.”
She continues, “It’s not simple work, but we absolutely must make our streets safer and more accessible for all users—whether they are driving, walking, bicycling, or rolling. Places that thrive in the future will be people-friendly, not car-dependent.”
Kelly and her three children Kai (14), Taylor (16), and Kasey (12).
Living in an area where it was safe for Kelly’s kids to bike or walk to school was jeopardized when a traffic proposal near Lake Whitney Elementary School was put in place to widen, expand, and create a faster road to ease traffic. A parents coalition was formed, which Kelly happily joined. “It was a brave ask—but the with the community members who asked for it, including myself—we did it because we really wanted to make this a better place, for everyone,” Kelly reflects. Today, the roundabout on Robertson and Windermere Road exists because of her belief and desire for safer and more pedestrian-friendly roads.
As a tireless advocate for bikeability and pedestrian-friendly communities, Kelly’s commitment extends beyond personal choices. Her passion takes tangible form in projects like the long-awaited “Dillard Project,” which aims to transform Dillard Street into a calmer, safer, and more pedestrian-friendly roadway, showcasing her dedication to enhancing community safety. Kelly beams with pride as she talks about the endeavor. Though she doesn’t serve on any of those committees, “yet,” she says with a wink, the vision for the project aligns with everything she dreams for the community she calls home. Fewer traffic lanes, from four to two. Tree-lined on both sides with bike paths and walking paths alike. Roundabouts invite travelers to slow down and consider others before continuing on their journey. In two words, safe and serene.
She says, “As a resident of Winter Garden, I’m proud of the work we’ve done to make our community more vibrant, healthy, prosperous, and environmentally friendly. Everywhere you look, there’s a palpable sense of energy and movement, and that’s something I truly appreciate. I’m particularly grateful for the steps we’ve taken to improve safety for pedestrians and cyclists on our local roads.”
Kelly’s perspective, forged through a childhood in Guam filled with travel, reflection, and connections, seamlessly aligns with her adult life in Winter Garden, where a shared love for community prevails.
In the journey of life, Kelly, who has traveled the world more than twice over, made her community a global one and worked tirelessly for the safety of all, identifies the best ride of her life as raising her three children. This perspective, shaped by her diverse experiences and commitment to community, underscores the profound impact of her journey on both a personal and global scale.
As a mother to Kasey, Kai, and Taylor, Kelly discovers the greatest joy in sharing life’s experiences with them. “Raising children who not only embody my values but also possess the tools to positively impact the world is the most worthwhile and impactful endeavor I can undertake.”
Despite the positive influence of her worldly experiences on all her children, Kelly cherishes the unique differences in each of them. “The exhilaration of raising my kids surpasses even a fast bike ride down the West Orange Trail.”
Kelly hasn’t been back to Guam since 2008, but she eagerly awaits any chance to unite people, greet passersby on the street, and work toward a safer community for all. The idea of visiting Guam forever lingers in her thoughts, presenting an opportunity to re-align herself and focus on her mission to create a lasting impact and movement that benefits everyone.
Kelly’s story imparts a valuable lesson—our community is shaped by our actions. We possess the ability to cultivate and foster an environment that encourages movement, builds meaningful relationships, and establishes a network of individuals capable of initiating and sustaining positive change.
