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.
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The News of Kings Point
January 2016
NOTICE: Each community and club in Sun City Center and Kings Point has specific rules about membership and attendance. Unless specifically stated or posted, most venues, meetings and events hosted on the Community Association campus and in Kings Point require attendees to bring their SCC CA or KP ID or come with a resident member. When in doubt, contact the club in question - not the venue or association - prior to arrival. Thanks.
SCC Men’s Club Benefit Cruise
By Jay Sparkman The Men’s Club of Sun City Center held a benefit cruise for the fourth consecutive year on the RCC Vision of the Seas out of Tampa on November 21, 2015. The nine-day cruise sailed to Aruba, Curacao, Grand Cayman, and Key West. 79 club members and guests enjoyed the cruise which was sponsored by Sun City Center Travelworld and manager Jayne Kirse accompanied as group leader. Most of the travelers in the picture are wearing their “What happens on the cruise, stays on the cruise” t-shirts. The Sun City Center Men’s Club is open to residents of Sun City Center and Kings Point. For info call 813-260-3058.
2016 Stained Glass Club Annual Show
The Sun City Center Stained Glass Club’s 6th Annual Show is scheduled for February 11 and 12 in the Atrium’s Florida Room. The show will be open to the public at no cost on Thursday, February 11 from 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. and on Friday, February 12 from 9 a.m. - 3 p.m. Professional Glass artist Julia Larson of St. Petersburg will judge the show. Members will display pieces in a number of categories including soldered panels, lamps, sun catchers, mosaics, fused work, jewelry and sandblasting. The judge will select the ribbon winners in each category and the Best of Show award. A People’s Choice award will be determined by votes of the show’s visitors. For more information stop by the Stained Glass Club in the Arts and Crafts Building between 9 and noon Monday through Friday, or call Debbie Zieg at 634-6795.
Workshop Attracts Birders and Gardeners
The Sun City Center Audubon and the Elegant Gardeners Clubs presented a valuable workshop recently. Open to members of both clubs as well as all residents of the community, the objective was to attract more birds and butterflies to our home landscapes. Ray Webb, Master Birder with the Audubon Club discussed the most common birds we find here and their requirements for food, water, and shelter. Teri Brockway, past president of the Garden Club focused on finding the right plant for the right location and the requirements for each plant. More than 75 attendees received information on websites and other resources available on both birding and gardening. Heather, an expert on native plants from Sweet Bay Nursery, a premier Florida native plant nursery located in Parrish, brought a sampling of plants appropriate for attracting birds and butterflies. She also offered recommendations on the best location for specific plants. The Sun City Center Audubon Club meets in the Florida Room, the first Saturday of the month, November through April. Refreshments are served at 9:30 a.m. and the meeting and program begin at 10.
SCC Men’s Club Presents Grant to Medians Group
By Jay Sparkman The Sun City Center Men’s Club presented the medians committee of the Sun City Center Community Association a check for $11,000 to be used in re-landscaping the North Pebble Beach Blvd. medians with Florida Friendly plantings. Pictured from left to right are Joe Elam, SCCCA Director; Ed Barnes, chairman of the medians committee; Ron Pelton, President of the SCC Men’s Club, and Sam Sudman, SCCCA director. The Men’s Club proudly supports projects that promote improving Sun City Center. The Men’s Club is open to residents of Sun City Center and Kings Point. For info call 813-260-3058.
Michigan Sno-Ball Dinner Dance
By Stephanie Casey The Michigan Club is hard at work making plans for their annual Dinner Dance Gala, the beautiful and elegant SNO-BALL. On Saturday evening, January 30, the Veterans Theater at Kings Point will be transformed into a breathtaking winter wonderland for all to enjoy. Sun City Center and surrounding area residents are all invited to join in this festive evening of dancing and fine dining. A delicious catered dinner and excellent live music are sure please the partygoers. Tickets for this BYOB event are currently on sale every Tuesday morning from 9 to 12. Look for the Michigan Club table in the corner of the Kings Point North Clubhouse lobby. The cost for members is $30 per person, non-members $35 per person. Mark your new calendars for Saturday, January 30, 5 p.m. social hour, 6 p.m. dinner and 7 p.m. dancing. The SNO-BALL is always one of the most anticipated events of the New Year. Get your tickets before it’s too late. Tables are going fast. Don’t miss out on this very special party. For more information, contact Paul at (813) 634-8506.
Sun City Center Audubon Club
On Saturday, January 2, 2016, the Sun City Center Audubon Club will meet in the Florida Room. Refreshments will be served at 9:30 a.m. and the meeting and program begin at 10. “The Importance of Native Bees” will be discussed by Nancy Ham, master beekeeper. She will point out how we can help pollinators, and the important role of native bees. The January 8 field trip will be to Celery Fields. There is no charge for this field trip. Sign up at the January 2 meeting. Guests are welcome at Audubon meetings. For further information, call Lynn at 813-938-1065. The Holiday Meeting in December was a great success. The silent auction raised money for conservation projects sponsored by the Audubon Club. Matt Edmonds brought his Wonders of Nature show and entertained everyone with his interesting facts about animals. The flight of Jedi the hawk was fascinating, especially for those whose heads he skimmed over.
January 2016 The News of Kings Point
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Buying a Windows 10 Tablet
Operation Medicine Cabinet
By John Bowker This remarkable program collected some 20 large packing boxes of expired or unused drugs and medications in three hours on Thursday, December 3. Community Resource Deputy Jeff Merry had arranged for use of the parking area in front of Community Hall that morning, and invited Master Deputy Curtis Warren of the District 4 Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office to take part along with Kristi Campbell of the Home Instead Senior Care organization. The three of them were kept pretty busy unloading bags of old medications as
people drove up from South Pebble Beach Blvd. This program, introduced here a decade ago by Community Resource Deputy Rob Thornton has offered this service to south county residents twice a year. No specific records are kept but the organizers this year remarked that they couldn’t remember a larger collection of medications and syringes at this location. The program is now offered annually in Brandon and in Tampa. Merry is already arranging for the next pickup in Sun City Center to be in early April to help our Snowbirds before they head north for the summer.
News Of Freedom Plaza
By Peggy Burgess When the clock struck 10 p.m. on December 31 the band struck up Auld Lang Syne. Champagne glasses clinked, toy horns honked and sounds of “Happy New Year!” rang out, but Freedom Plaza’s New Year’s Eve party wasn’t ending, it was merely on the move. After enjoying the glitz and glamour of the Auditorium’s formal dance featuring the Stan Blum Orchestra, celebrants were invited to congregate, if they wished, in the cozier atmosphere of a Freedom Plaza dining room named The Pub. There the merriment continued, and “Happy New Year!” toasts were offered again at midnight. Among topics discussed as residents welcomed in 2016 was the variety of activities (some different, some familiar) awaiting them in the new year. A new and different handicraft class on the January calendar is Zen Doodle. This somewhat less restrictive version of Zen Tangle (a registered trademark) involves turning patterns of idle “doodling” into decorative art. There will be an introductory session followed by several workshops. A familiar and welcome calendar listing is a continuation of the Sarasota Institute of Lifetime Learning (SILL) lecture series. Simulcast live from Sarasota, these programs are received onscreen at various participating locations, such as the Freedom Plaza Auditorium. The selected series, “Global Issues”, consists of 12 lectures occurring at 10:30am on successive Thursdays, beginning January 7. SILL was founded in 1972 by Dr. Evelyn Duvall, a retired college professor and Sarasota resident. She came away from the first White House Conference on Aging convinced that older minds need exercise as much as, or more than, their bodies. Acting on that principle, she established a fledgling Sarasota organization with guidance from the National Institute of Lifetime Learning, partnering with the National Retired Teachers Association and American Association of Retired Persons. SILL offered two lecture series entitled “Contemporary Public Issues” and “International Challenges”. Those two series were eventually combined into “Global Issues”, the series of 12 lectures to be offered this year at Freedom Plaza. Topics to be addressed in these lectures, which will extend from January through March, include: American Foreign Policy and World Order in an Election Year; Current Issues in U.S. Intelligence; China Goes Global: the Partial Power; Surging U.S. Inequality: How Much and Why?; Russia and Putin: What Next?; The Arctic; Modern Mercenaries: How For-Profit Warriors are Changing Global Affairs; Japan’s Grand Strategy; Measuring America’s Influence in Latin America and the Caribbean; The Iran Deal and Its Implications; Facing a World of Challenges; Global Middle Class Instability. While Freedom Plaza residents may attend these lectures free of charge, there is a fee, paid at the door, of $5 per person per lecture for nonresidents. The public is cordially invited to participate and informational brochures are available, during business hours, in the Freedom Plaza Resident Programs Department. Phone: (813) 6421213 or (813) 642-1215.
Rod Rodrigues using a tablet to help him read and play music.
By Kai Rambow If you are thinking about buying a Windows 10 tablet instead of a computer, there are two immediate considerations: (1) If you’ve never owned a tablet or smartphone, this could be frustrating. (2) If you create anything, you may be limited with a tablet. For example, if you are a photographer and use Photoshop, you’ll soon find yourself running out of storage space (the electronic kind not closet space). Just to be clear, I’m not suggesting you shouldn’t get a tablet. Tablets can be very useful tools. Rod Rodrigues, a computer monitor, owns several tablets. Rodrigues has more than one physical visual challenge. Unable to read sheet music clearly, tablets have enabled him to see the music so he can play. Rodrigues remarks, “It would be really awkward to have a computer right by my piano. I can create the music I want to play on my computer, transfer it to my tablet and easily position the table on the piano.” If you decide to get a new tablet, here are a few guidelines to help: A really cheap tablet is Continued from Page 1
Club also supports many local organizations outside the SCC boundaries. The list includes: The Mary Martha House, the Hope Fund, Southeastern Guide Dogs, James A. Haley Veterans Hospital and many other organizations. Through the years the club has supported the Florida Federation of Women’s Club projects, i.e. Canine Companions for Independence, Special Olympics, Reach Out for Cancer Kids Camp, etc. In 1994, the club earned the state’s highest honor — the Lois B. Perkins Leadership Achievement Award. The local Woman’s Club consists of 158 members. They meet nine months of the year and dues are minimal. Membership requirement: a willingness to serve. At Funfest they hold a
inexpensive for a reason. RAM (random access memory) and storage will be small. Also, they may not have Windows 10 installed at this time. Keep in mind there are a few different operating systems (Apple, Android Windows) for tablets. For example, an iPad from Apple does not use Windows 10, however, is a popular choice. The more expensive tablets (with 10, RAM and storage) look like a regular laptop and are pretty close in price to a laptop. The weight and portability may still be appealing if all you intend to do is use it for email and browsing the internet. Remember Word documents may not take up a lot of space but photos will. You’ll need a good processor. Guidelines are similar to last month’s article: an i3 or i5 should work well for you on a tablet. If you’re not comfortable with technology, transitioning to a tablet just because you’ve heard about it is probably not a good choice for you. If you’re looking for something a little smaller and portable, then getting a tablet may be a great choice.
flea market, their main fundraiser. Their community service programs include: Arts and Crafts, Conservation, a book reading group, Public Issues, Education, International Outreach, and Home Life. For Home Life projects an organization is picked every month. A list of items needed is given to the members in advance to bring them to the monthly meetings. Despite all these commitments, the club takes time to go on tours and enjoy dining out. The GFWC Sun City Center Woman’s Club is an organization all of us can be proud of as part of our community. New members are welcome. The benefit: to feel good about doing for others. The GFWC SCC Woman’s Club members are truly living the volunteer spirit.
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The News of Kings Point
January 2016
Photo Club Announces Best of the Best Winners
The Sun City Center Photo Club is proud to announce the winners of its annual Best of the Best competition. The Best in Show winner is Painting With Light Lido Beach by Jackie Hanson and the Judge’s Choice Award went to Matt Batt for his photo, Gdansk Wheel. First Place Award winners in color prints were Andy Ledoux for Sunset (Advanced) and Celia Staples for Moon Glow in the unassigned class. In the Monochrome print category, Bobbie Ray for Why Me?, Pat Jones for Pelican In Formation, Madlyn Blom for Poly Tech Dreams and John Lampkin for Dawn of Education. First Place Color digital award
winners were Bobbie Ray for Colorful Reflections, Gina Hebert for Vintage GMC, Bruno Graziano for The Dismount, Carol Feldhauser for Long Bill Curfew. Monochrome digital division winners were Robert Winch for Gothic Junction, Ron Shackelford for About To Strike, Carol Feldhauser for Reflection, Bruno Graziano for 47 Ford and Jerry Miller for Magnolia. In the Creative category, Robert Winch won the print competition for The Pump and Bobbie Ray won the digital division with Pitcher of Magical Lights. Winning photos will be on display at the Sun City Center Chamber of Commerce building and in the atrium.
Best In Show The Dismount by Bruno Granziano
Judges Choice
Best In Show Painting With Light Lido Beach by Jackie Hanson
Judges Choice Gdansk Wheel by Matt Batt
Magnolia by Jerry Miller
Why Me by Bobbie Ray
Long Bill Curlew by Carol Feldhauser
News of Kings Point online www.newsofkingspoint.com