5 minute read
Let’s connect
By Irwin Weinberg
Imagine most of us didn’t know what we were going to be when we grew up. Perhaps as children we wanted to be a policeman or a fireman — maybe even a superhero we saw on TV or in the movies. As we grew a bit older, the thought of becoming a sports star may have danced in our dreams. I know it certainly did for me.
The fact is, we rarely become what we thought we’d become; life gets in the way. At 77 years old, I still don’t know what I want to be when I grow up. That said, there are those rare individuals who knew exactly what they wanted to do in life and followed their dreams to fruition. Men’s Cultural Alliance is lucky enough to have one of those among its brotherhood. Glenn Perrin knew he was to become a teacher at a very early age.
Perrin’s journey started in Manhattan, and then onto Rye Brook, New York — a village in Westchester County. He later graduated from the University of Vermont where he majored in Foreign Languages. This major served him well in support of his dream to become a teacher.
After graduation, he moved to the Boston, Massachusetts area where he obtained a job in the town of Weston, teaching French and Spanish to middle and high school kids. One would think this would be sufficiently challenging, but not for Perrin. He initiated and coordinated student trips to France and Spain — trips that became super popular among the students and parents. In addition, he created an exchange program with a middle school English class from Quebec City, Canada.
Over 30 years passed and like many of us (myself in particular), it became time for Perrin to follow the sun. Using his teaching and networking skills as well as his substantial travel experiences, he worked and learned about the travel agency business and opened Travels by Glenn.
After much research and preferring the west coast of Florida, Perrin followed the sun to Naples 10 years ago — and we all continue to benefit from that decision.
Moving to Saturnia Lakes, Perrin sought to initiate and perhaps expand upon his many interests and hobbies: bridge, going to the theatre, kayaking, pickleball, biking, swimming and, not surprisingly, dinners with friends. Among these many interests, let’s not forget to include his best friend, Hershey, the dog who accompanies him whenever possible.
Early on, it was clear to his neighbors and friends, Don and Judy Belmont, that Perrin would benefit immensely by joining MCA, which he did. Over time, former MCA President Steve Brazina envisioned utilizing Perrin’s teaching experience as well as his negotiating and networking skills to enhance and provide substance to the founding purpose of MCA — create friendship and camaraderie among its members by attending and participating in social, intellectual, recreational and athletic activities.
It wasn’t long before Brazina asked Perrin to develop groups or even take over and expand groups that were so closely aligned to Perrin’s many interests as well as to many other members. Certainly, it is a win-win situation for all of us.
This brings me to the reason I titled this article “Let’s Connect.” It’s way too easy to overlook the significance of making connections in our everyday lives. Like others (including Perrin), I needed to start over when I moved from Boca Raton to Naples four years ago.
There, I had belonged to a Jewish men’s social group similar to MCA. I participated in many of their activities and made what I hope to be lifelong friendships as well. Suddenly, when the move to Naples took place, I found I had a significant gap in my life and sought ways to fill it.
The fact is I felt lost; fortunately, my wife found MCA for me, and I subsequently joined. Magically and mysteriously, I was sought out by Perrin and invited to attend activities such as the weekly breakfast, the dine-arounds and brunch from specific geographical areas from which members originated. One such brunch was for the “lucky” members (such as myself) who are from the Bronx. Additionally, there were invitations to the walking and biking groups, going to see plays, etc.
Perrin even started the Potluck MCA Dinner for the Soulful Shabbat at Temple Shalom and, for those of us with little to do on Christmas Day and New Year’s Day, he conceptualized and coordinated the very popular Coed Walks followed by brunch, which has had over 150 members attend.
It wasn’t until recently that I fully understood how much effort behind the scenes goes into making all that happen. The amount of research involved in finding locations, gaining management approvals, the necessary communication and networking among members and the MCA Board of Directors, negotiating special dining menus and prices, the multilevel structuring of the dining times to allow for a maximum number of members to enjoy, seeking constant feedback from members to make the next event even better, etc.
We — especially new members, such as I once was — have all of this and more thanks to the man with unlimited energy and immense dedication to all of our members; the man with the clipboard and a deck of cards checking us in … Mr. Glenn Perrin.
Thank you, Glenn!
