www.newsofkingspoint.com
January, 2016
GFWC Sun City Center Woman’s Club Living the Volunteer Spirit By Ilona Merritt In August 1962, to fulfill a request by Del Webb, a Woman’s Club was formed in Sun City Center. Since the concept of Sun City Center was based on volunteerism, the founding ladies of the Woman’s Club put emphasis on being serviceoriented. The social aspect became secondary. The club incorporated in 1964, and had been admitted to the Florida Federation of Women’s Clubs and the General Federation of Women’s Clubs in 1963. Through the years members have been living the volunteer spirit, dedicated to community improvement by enhancing the lives of others through service. The GFWC Sun City Center Woman’s Club is a nonprofit, volunteer organization that strives to enrich the lives of its members and community through educational activities and charitable services. The list of accomplishments and donations is long. The very first club projects were to raise
L to R: Roz Cruthis, Janet Smith, and Beverly Fletchall in front of some of the products brought by club members to a recent Sun City Center Woman’s Club meeting to stock the Haven of Hope, a home for just-released female prisoners. Ms. Smith started the Ruskin home opened early this December.
funds for the March of Dimes and establish an emergency data system encompassing all residents. In December 1962 the Woman’s Club’s second vice-
Kings Point Quilters Honor Local Veteran
The Kings Point Quilters had the honor of presenting one of their Veterans Quilts to Raymond Remmell Whitehurst, Sr. Ray entered the U.S. Navy in 1944 at the age of seventeen and completed boot camp at Camp Perry, Virginia. During WW II Ray was a signalman on the ship LST 1105, an amphibious landing craft. He was at the assault occupation, Invasion Okinawa in 1945. When Japan surrendered Ray was on one of the first ships into Japan during the occupation of Japan. Ray also served in both the Korean and Vietnam Wars. During the Vietnam War he was stationed in Japan at a home base for troops going in and out of Vietnam. He also served three tours at Guantanamo Bay Cuba. The many awards Ray received include five good conduct medals, Navy Reserve Medal, China Service Medal, American Campaign Medal, AsiaticPacific Medal, Victory Medal for WW II, Navy Occupation Medal,
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Two National Defense Medals, Philippine Liberation Ribbon, and Combat Star for WW II. Ray was stationed at Naval Air Station Norfolk, Va. when he retired in 1970. On October 20, 2015, Ray had the honor of being a part of Mission 24 Honor Flight of West Central Florida. The KP Quilters thoroughly enjoyed listening to Ray telling about his time in the service and to thank him for his service in three wars. Ray resides in Kings Point with his wife.
Canadian Club “Meet and Mingle”
The Kings Point Canadian Club will be hosting a “Meet and Mingle” wine & cheese on Monday January 12 at 2 p.m. in the Kings Point Borini Theatre. The cost $3. Tickets can be purchased on Dec 18 and Jan 8 in the Kings Point North Clubhouse lobby from 10 until noon. Tickets can also be purchased at the door on January 11.
president, Erna Krauch, donated five hundred of her own books to start the Sun City Center Library. The Sun City Center Woman’s Chorus got its start through the
Woman’s Club. However, their most wellknown service project is Meals on Wheels. Started in Sun City Center in 1973, it is still active with the Woman’s Club overseeing the operation. This program provides much more than a meal. At the core of the Meals on Wheels service is a nutritious meal, companionship and a watchful eye on the health and safety of our seniors. With Metropolitan Ministries arriving in SCC, the Woman’s Club is including this service as one of its projects. Over the years, the Club has made annual contributions to community all-volunteer support organizations and clubs. Donations have been regularly made to: the Emergency Squad, Security Patrol, library, Community Association and its Employees Fund, Beautification Association, Patriots Club, Samaritan Services SCC Ride and Samaritan Alzheimer’s Auxiliary. The GFWC SCC Woman’s Continued on Page 2
The Leathernecks Step In
Photo by Rosemary Maling George Maling (foreground) and Bill Young taking their turn at the Leathernecks’ Adopted “Spot” on the Golf Cart Path
By John Bowker Anyone who has driven the golf cart path recently through the woods from East Del Webb Blvd on their way to Walmart has found the weeds and trash that had begun to appear there are all gone! We can thank the local Leathernecks Club for stepping up to make the surroundings neat, clean and even safe! In conjunction with Keep Tampa Bay Beautiful, the organization that runs the familiar “Adopt a Road Program”, this group of about 50 veterans of the U.S. Marine Corps has committed to a two-year “Adopt a Spot” program with the same goals for the golf cart path that keep our highways clear of trash. Paul Courter, a Marine in his earlier years, is now very active with the Leathernecks in Sun City
Center and, with his guidance, this local organization adopted the new project to keep the golf cart path safe and clean. Sam Sudman of our Community Association arranged for Hillsborough County to come in with their heavy equipment to trim the larger weeds on both sides of the cart path that had created sight blockages. That left a lot of discarded bottles, trash and more litter than one could expect to have been dropped in the short time the path has been open. Late in November, a team of seven Leathernecks took their own tools and, while watching out for errant golf carts hustling to their destinations, they took a turn at making the path an extension of the neat and professional appearance typical of Sun City Center.